Fracking Accident Kills 1, Injures Two

November 26, 2014 - Fracking Accidents, Fracking Injuries

An fracking accident at a hydraulic fracturing site in northern Colorado killed one worker and seriously injured two others in a serious oilfield accident Thursday, authorities said.

The three men were trying to heat a frozen high-pressure water line at the oil or gas well site when it ruptured, Weld County sheriff’s Sgt. Sean Standridge said. One man was hit by a stream of water and died from the impact.

The injured men — Thomas Sedlmayr, 48, and Grant Casey, 28 — were flown to hospitals. The name of the man who was killed was not released.

“The pipe was frozen and they were trying to heat it up to get it flowing again,” Standridge said.

The temperature in the area was about zero degrees at the time of the accident, National Weather Service meteorologist Bob Kleyla said. Overnight, the temperature had dropped to minus 5, which is severe but not as cold as in other locations in Colorado such as Denver International Airport, where the low was minus 14.

The men were working for Halliburton Co., which Anadarko Petroleum Corp. contracted to perform fracking operations at the well. Fracking involves injecting high-pressure mixtures of water, sand or gravel, and chemicals into the ground to extract oil and gas from rock.

After the accident, Anadarko shut down all the fracking pads in the area as a safety precaution.

“This is a very difficult time for all of us at Halliburton, and we are working with local authorities as they look into the details of this incident,” Halliburton spokeswoman Chevalier Mayes said in a statement.

Three inspectors from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration were at the site investigating the cause of the accident and whether it could have been prevented, Area Director Herb Gibson said. He said there had been no prior fatalities at the Anadarko site.

Schedule Your Free Case Consultation

Request a free consultation with one of our experienced lawyers today by filling out the form below, or call us at 888-353-5995 




    Atlanta Office

    Flynn Law Firm

    4200 Northside Parkway NW Building One,
    Suite 200
    Atlanta, Georgia 30327
    Get Direction

    Phone: 404.835.9660

    We Are Here To Help

    If you or a loved one have been injured or have questions regarding a personal injury claim, a workplace accident, refinery explosion, burn injury, commercial dispute, or other personal injury claim, we are here for you.

    • We’ll Come To You

      Our attorney will travel to your home, or hospital, at your convenience and request
    • Call Us Anytime

      We are available to discuss your case anytime. Give us a call at 503-303-0600 or 888-353-5995
    • Completely Free Consultation

      Meeting and/or discussing your case with our attorney is completely free.

    Schedule Your Free Case Consultation

    Request a free consultation with one of our experienced lawyers today by filling out the form below, or call us at 888-353-5995




      flynn

      Atlanta Office

      Flynn Law Firm

      4200 Northside Parkway NW,
      Building One, Suite 100
      Atlanta, Georgia, 30327
      Get Direction

      Phone: 404-835-9660

      Phone: 404-835-6005