By Tricia Pemberton, Staff Writer
The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK)
Copyright 2007 The Oklahoman, All Rights Reserved
CASHION, Okla. — Four people were hurt Tuesday by two pressure explosions at a gas work-over rig near Cashion.
Two rig workers were flown by Medi-Flight to the Integris Baptist Medical Center, Police Chief Ronald Nelson said.
Two others who were trying to help the rig workers were hit by flying debris during the second explosion. They were treated and released from Mercy Health Center in Oklahoma City, he said.
“We haven’t been updated on anyone’s condition, but the hospitals said they are keeping them,” Nelson said.
There was no fire involved in the explosions, Cashion rescue workers said.
Matt Skinner, public information manager with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, said the accident occurred just after a rig crew perforated a gas well.
“They went to pressure test it, and someone forgot to hit the shutoff valve before they unscrewed the plug to do the pressure test,” Skinner said.
“This was not a well blowout,” he said. “It was just a release of pressure.”
That caused an initial explosion that hurt one rig worker, Skinner said.
Debris hits rescuers
Nelson said when his crews responded to the scene, a second explosion hurt a second rig worker and injured two emergency responders.
Debris from that explosion hit one responder in the head, giving him a possible concussion, and left a second disoriented, Nelson said.
The two were being kept in the hospital overnight.
He would only say the four injury victims were male.
The accident occurred about 2:40 p.m., about eight miles west and two miles south of Cashion in an area between U.S. 81 and State Highway 33.
The oil well is owned by Titan Partners Corp. and the rig is owned by RDT.