AVELLA, Pa. - A "volatile vapor" led to an explosion at a natural gas drilling site Wednesday that left three people injured, according to state environmental officials.
Pennsylvania DEP spokeswoman Katy Gresh said the blast occurred when workers were flow testing the wells at the site to separate natural gas liquids from the methane.
"A volatile vapor from the condensate ignited. This then caused the tanks to catch fire," she said.
Gresh said it is too early to say if Chesapeake Energy would receive a citation for the accident, but said there are no violations on record for this particular drilling site.
"Our inspectors have been to that site 13 times," she added.
During a press conference Thursday, Chesapeake Energy officials said they had not determined the cause of the fire . The fire occurred near natural gas wells drilled by the company on the Joseph Powers property off First Street and Meadowcroft Road in Avella.
Matt Sheppard, Chesapeake senior director of corporate development and government affairs, said Russell Schoolcraft, 48, of Clover, W.Va.; Richard Lancaster, 50, of Sardis, Ohio; and Frank Lancaster, 36, of New Martinsville; were transported to Pittsburgh hospitals for injuries sustained during the incident.
Sheppard said Schoolcraft, a roustabout for H&H Oil Field Services, and Richard Lancaster, a truck driver for BBU Services, were taken to Mercy Hospital, while Frank Lancaster, also a driver for BBU Services Inc., was taken to West Penn Hospital. He didn't know the men's conditions, and hospital spokesmen couldn't be reached late Thursday for comment.
Sheppard said, "According to safety procedures, all the men were wearing flame-resistant clothing at the time of the accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with these men, their family and friends, and we wish them a speedy and full recovery."
Sheppard said the three men were performing routine maintenance at the site while other crews were conducting a temporary well-testing operation before the fire occurred. He said a flash fire occurred to five 500-gallon tanks containing natural gas liquids and quickly spread to four others. Sheppard refuted reports the fire was caused by hydraulic fracturing, noting that operation had been completed at the time of the blaze.
During hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, water mixed with sand and chemicals, some of them toxic, is forced into the wells at high pressure, shattering the underground shale and releasing natural gas in pockets hundreds of feet underground.
Scott Rotruck, Chesapeake vice president of corporate development and state government relations, said as soon as the incident occurred, the three wells were closed using valves.
Stacey Brodak, Chesapeake spokeswoman, said the company is working with officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and federal Office, federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Pennsylvania State Police Fire Investigation Unit to determine the cause of the blaze.
Many fire departments from Washington County and several from Brooke County were called to the fire at 6:15 p.m. and extinguished at about 9:30 p.m.
Brodak expressed thanks to all emergency responders who responded, especially the Avella Volunteer Fire Department, "for their professionalism and rapid response."
Brodak was asked if Boots and Coots International Well Control, a private firefighting company specializing in response to gas well fires and under contract to Chesapeake, was involved in fighting the fire.
She said a representative of the company was on the scene and a foam suppressant used to extinguish the fire at his suggestion. She said because the fire was contained quickly, it didn't merit calling more personnel from the group.
Earlier Thursday, Franklin Community Fire Chief Larry Palmer said many members of the department were called because it has a mutual aid agreement with the Avella Fire Department.
Palmer said a few members from each of eight other Brooke County fire departments joined many Washington County fire departments and the county's hazardous materials team in extinguishing the blaze.
Because the fire occurred in a rural area, many water tankers, including several from Brooke County, were called, he said. Palmer said firefighters on the scene included ones trained in rapid intervention, or assisting firefighters who become at risk while fighting fires, but he wasn't aware of any firefighters being harmed during the blaze. He said once the fire was extinguished, firefighters watered the tanks to keep them cool and prevent them from reigniting and used thermal imaging cameras to detect any hot spots.