Oilfield Explosion Injures Worker in Karnes County, Texas

Before dawn on Tuesday October 8, 2013, there was yet another explosion at a Karnes County oil well site. The blast was so large that a stretch of nearby Highway 80 had to be shut down following the explosion. The incident was the result of a group of salt water containers, batteries, and diesel tanks exploding. Karnes County Sheriff Dwayne Villanueva reports that at the time of the explosion there was one oil field worker executing a safety check of the tanks. The man was thrown from atop his ladder and has suffered burns on up to 30 percent of his body. He was flown to a San Antonio hospital.

Gulf Coast Acquisitions of Refugio, Texas is the well site operator. There is a current investigation into what happened on this well site. This particular well site had a total of 10 diesel tanks, 9 of which exploded. It is suspected that the incident started with one tank and then through static electricity was carried through to the others. The initial cause of the explosion is still being investigated. According to Sheriff Villanueva this is just one of several oil field accidents in Karnes County, Texas claiming 10 lives this year alone.