Gas Well Fire Continues To Burn Days After Explosion

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The fire at a Greene County gas well continues to burn, nearly five days after it started.

Department of Environmental Protection officials said Saturday that the well was continuing to burn, still leaving them unable to confirm the death of an employee still unaccounted for.

A crane burned in the blaze and subjected to high heat is what continued to ignite the fire on the 7H well, officials said. They say they'll try to remove it from the well pad Saturday.

Removing the crane should also give responders an opportunity to move their equipment closer to the well.

The fire was first reported early Tuesday morning.

One person was hospitalized after the initial explosion, and another has yet to be accounted for.

The explosion was so intense, nearby residents reported feeling the ground shake.

Officials warned after the blaze started, that it could continue to burn for several days.

The DEP says lots of water is necessary to put out the fire and it's allowing Chevron to use more than 1 million gallons of water, if needed. The DEP also says it is monitoring the fire from the air.

The Chevron-owned well is one of nearly 650 natural gas wells in Greene County.

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Explosion