Identity of missing well worker confirmed
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
A press conference was held late Wednesday by (from left) Adam Nightangale and Stefan Radwanski of Cameron International; state police Trooper Stefani Plume; and Nigel Hearne of Chevron Appalachia to announce that bone fragments were located at the site of the gas well explosion.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
State police Trooper Stefani Plume listens as Cameron International representative Stefan Radwanski reads a statement of condolence during a press conference Wednesday.
A gas well site permitted to Chevron and located in Dunkard Township burns after an explosion on Feb. 11. The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently issued a report concluding that no pollutants that would indicate a potential health concern for local residents or emergency responders were found as a result of the gas well fire. (Photo by Roberto M. Esquivel)
BOBTOWN — Officials have confirmed the identity of a gas well worker missing more than a week after an explosion rocked the Marcellus shale mine site he was working at in Dunkard Township, Greene County.
And officials said during a joint press conference held by state police and representatives from Chevron and Cameron International on Wednesday that a safety meeting was taking place at the Lanco 7H well site when the blast occurred.
Trooper Stefani Plume said that forensic investigators from the state police were able to recover fragments from the blast site that were later determined to be bone after police were allowed their first access to the well since the explosion and subsequent fire that began the morning of Feb. 11.
She said that all but one subcontractor working at the mine — Ian McKee, 27, of Morgantown, W.Va. — have been accounted for.
“At this point those fragments are in the possession of the Greene County Coroner’s office, and they will continue to investigate from here,” Plume said. She did not state how long it might take investigators to make an official identification.
Plume said that investigating troopers were escorted at the scene around noon Wednesday by gas well fire experts from Wild Well Control, a Texas-based firm leading the efforts at the site for Chevron, who operates the well.
She also said that after the initial blast, the state police Aviation Unit was activated and conducted several hours of recognizance in an attempt to locate McKee based on reports from co-workers. The workers told police where the pipeline field technician with two years of experience with Cameron was working at the time of the blast.
Stefan Radwansky, vice president and general manager at Cameron, said that the company, also based in Texas, is experiencing “great sorrow” following the explosion and that they are committed to providing for the McKee family during this time.
“We are deeply saddened, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family,” Radwansky said.
Nigel Hearne, vice president of Appalachian operations for Chevron, echoed those sentiments, calling the incident “devastating” and saying that Chevron is committed to determining what happened and making sure it won’t happen again.
Hearne did not divulge any new information about the coming days as Wild Well officials hope to move into a position to attempt to cap the well, which self-extinguished on Saturday.
He said that, as of Wednesday, crews could still only get about 15 feet from the well head and had to utilize specialized equipment to do so.
According to Cameron officials, McKee was engaged and was expecting a child.