Pennsylvania DEP Staff Responds to Gas Well Fire; Says Safety First Priority, Investigation to Follow

PITTSBURGH, July 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A shallow well drilled in May 2008 caught fire in a wooded area of Indiana Township, Allegheny County, today after an explosion occurred while workers were welding equipment at the well site.    

Pipelines connected to the well to collect the gas and other fluids have been shut off to isolate the well.    

"DEP staff is on site working with first responders and Huntley and Huntley to determine the safest way to shut the well in," said George Jugovic Jr., DEP's southwest regional director. "The first step to ensuring the safety of the public and first responders on scene is to put the fire out and shut the well in."  

Jugovic added that once the site is secure and safe, DEP will thoroughly investigate the incident. DEP staff is working to collect information about the cause of the explosion and the reason workers were welding at the site.  

The well, named the Murray Heirs #6 well, was completed in May 2008. At a depth of 3,500 feet, it is considered to be a shallow well

Additional information gathered by DEP in the coming hours and days will be provided to the public.

For more information, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us or call 412-442-4000

Media contact: Helen Humphreys, 412-442-4183

Source: Department of Environmental Protection's Southwest Regional office.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Southwest Regional Office

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