Monday, February 16, 2015

CONSOL ENERGY, INC. CONTRACTOR AIRLIFTED AFTER BEING BURNED IN DERRY, PENNSYLVANIA NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION AND FIRE








FEBRUARY 15, 2015

BLAIRSVILLE/DERRY, PENNSYLVANIA:

A contractor for Consol Energy Inc. was burned on his face and arms Sunday in a fire and explosion while tending to a gas well off Route 22 in Derry on Sunday, Consol and fire officials said. 

The victim, whose identity was not released, was flown by an emergency medical helicopter around 5:40 p.m. to the West Penn Hospital burn unit in Pittsburgh, Blairsville Fire Chief George Burkley said. The injured worker was conscious when he was flown from a landing zone that had been set up near the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 387 at 9626 Route 22 in Derry Township, Burkley said. 

The site was secured Sunday and an investigation is underway, Consol spokeswoman Kate Donovan said. 

The worker had been dispatched to the gas well along Apple Lane. The explosion and fire was reported at 5:07 p.m. and the fire was extinguished quickly after the company shutoff natural gas service to the building, Burkley said. The building was not extensively damaged, the chief said. 

The Blairsville Fire Department in Indiana County serves as the first responder in that section of Derry Township because its department is closer than the Derry Township fire departments, a Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety spokesman said. 

Blairsville firefighters were assisted by units from Derry, New Alexandria and Tunnelton, Burkley said

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FIRE, EXPLOSION INJURES WORKER AT NATURAL GAS COMPANY BUILDING IN DERRY/BLAIRSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA

BLAIRSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA. (AP) – 

FEBRUARY 15, 2015

Authorities say one person was injured in a fire and explosion at a natural gas company building in western Pennsylvania.

Officials in Westmoreland County say the blaze off route 22 in Derry Township was reported shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday.

Company and fire department officials told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (http://bit.ly/17bcBrK ) that a contractor for Consol Energy Inc. was burned on his face and arms.

Chief George Burkley of the Blairsville Fire Department said the worker was conscious when he was flown from a landing zone to West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh.

He said the fire was extinguished quickly after the company shut off natural gas service to the building, which was not extensively damaged.

Consol spokeswoman Kate Donovan said the site was secured and an investigation is being done.

Information from: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, http://pghtrib.com