‘Lack of all safety procedures’ reported at North Dakota oil well blast that killed 1, injured 2

ROSS, N.D. — A Kansas man has died from accidents he obtained in an explosion at a North Dakota oil properly web site the place a crew member informed a sheriff’s deputy there was a “lack of all security procedures.”

Oscar Gilberto “la Borre” Gandara, 37, of Liberal, Kansas, died Sept. 15 from accidents he suffered within the drilling rig accident,

in accordance with his obituary

.

Gandara was one among three males injured within the Sept. 2 oil properly blast about 5 miles southwest of Ross, or about 70 miles west of Minot, in accordance with a Mountrail County Sheriff’s Workplace report obtained by The Discussion board this week by means of a public data request.

Emergency crews have been dispatched at about 10:40 p.m. Sept. 2 to the properly web site that is owned by Houston-based Chord Vitality, the sheriff’s workplace report mentioned.

Gandara, together with two different staff, Ramiro Contreras Lopez and Jose Gonzalez, had extreme burn accidents, in accordance with the report.

The blaze was contained to the properly web site. When a sheriff’s deputy requested what occurred to trigger the hearth, a crew member blamed a “lack of all security procedures,” in accordance with the report.

One crew member informed the deputy “there have been seen fumes everywhere in the web site,” and one of many crews informed the deputy they felt uncomfortable working on the web site, in accordance with the report. As that crew was strolling away from a pump that one other crew was beginning, the properly exploded, the report mentioned.

The deputy famous within the report that she didn’t see any crew members “sporting a visual H2S monitor anyplace on their particular person.” H2S stands for hydrogen sulfide, a flammable, toxic gasoline that is related to oil drilling and has a rotten-egg odor.

Gandara was born in Rosales, Mexico. He’s survived by his spouse and two daughters, in accordance with his obituary.

A Gofundme web site was set as much as increase cash for his household

.

In a press release to The Discussion board, Chord Vitality mentioned it was cooperating with Occupational Security and Well being Administration officers because the federal company investigates the explosion. Chord is also conducting its personal investigation into the hearth.

“Our hearts and prayers are with the impacted Black Hawk (Vitality Companies) staff and their households,” Chord Vitality mentioned in its assertion. “Inquiries concerning the standing of the workers must be directed to Black Hawk.”

When requested concerning the reported lack of security procedures, Chord mentioned “an incident of this nature takes time to research to know what occurred.”

Black Hawk is a subsidiary of the Colorado-based Metal Vitality Companies. The Discussion board’s makes an attempt to succeed in Black Hawk management by telephone have been unsuccessful.

The Discussion board reached out to OSHA spokespeople for remark however didn’t obtain a response again.

It is not uncommon for fumes to come back off North Dakota oil properly websites, although corporations are purported to seize most of it, mentioned Karl Rockeman, water high quality director for the North Dakota Environmental High quality Division.

His division inspected the explosion web site on Sept. 12 for environmental releases however discovered none, Rockeman mentioned.