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Initial report indicates that uncontrolled release of gas caught fire in Quinton gas well explosion

Posted at 11:25 AM, Jan 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-24 12:25:54-05

QUINTON, Okla. (AP) - An initial report into a deadly natural gas rig explosion in Oklahoma indicates there was an uncontrolled release of gas that caught fire and that a worker at the scene tried unsuccessfully to shut down the well.

The incident report into the explosion and fire that killed five workers was released on Tuesday by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which regulates oil and gas operations in the state.

The blast happened Monday morning at a drilling site near Quinton, about 100 miles (161 kilometers) southeast of Tulsa. The explosion sent plumes of black smoke into the air and left a derrick crumpled on the ground.

Once the drilling site was stabilized on Tuesday, authorities recovered the remains of all five workers.

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