Early on Friday, December 19, two people were killed during an explosion and oil rig fire in Coalgate, Oklahoma. According to KSWO News Channel Seven, the incident happened sometime in the early morning, at an oil rig about two miles west of Coalgate, in Southeast Oklahoma. Gary Keenen of Ada, 26 years old, and Kelsey Bellah of Tulsa, 27 years old, were killed, and at least two other people were injured. Very few details were released, but we do know that there was an explosion and a fire at the Pablo Energy rig.
Fire Marshal Investigation
At this time, we don’t know what caused the fire or explosion. KSWO News Channel Seven reports that the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal and the State Corporation Commission have opened investigations into the matter. It remains to be seen if and how these deaths and injuries could have been prevented.
Oil Rig Explosions in Texas and Oklahoma
Sadly, we hear about oil rig explosion fatalities all too often in the Texoma area. The natural gas extraction boom has created a huge employment industry for workers across the two states. The stakes are high on an oil patch, and that’s why it’s absolutely essential for deaths and injuries to be fully investigated. The oil and gas extraction business is one of the few industries that continue to see an increase in workplace injuries and fatalities each year. Ensuring worker safety needs to be a top priority for all oil field owners and operators.
Wrongful Death
If you have lost a loved one in an oil rig accident, you need to contact a personal injury attorney with oil rig case experience. You may have a wrongful death lawsuit. With an increase in oil patch work, comes an increase in commercial trucking accidents too. Whether it’s an explosion or truck accident, the industry is becoming deadly for workers across Oklahoma and Texas. Workplace fatality rates aren’t growing at the same rate as industry growth either, they’re greatly exceeding it. Filing a wrongful death lawsuit is one way to help make sure more lives aren’t lost due to the same industry mistakes and errors.
At this time, there’s no word on the injured victims’ conditions or the extent of their injures. The team at the Altman Legal Group sends their deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Keenen and Bellah and wishes speedy and full recoveries for the surviving injured workers.