Abstract: On May 8, 2008, Employee #1 and a coworker were involved in a horizontal drilling operation. It was suspected the drilling operation reached a natural gas pocket and vapors vented upwards and out of the well bore, causing an explosion and fire through the well bore. The ignition source was suspected to be a motor from the mud pump tanks. Employee #1 died as a result of second and third degree burns. The coworker was hospitalized for burns to the arms and was released after two days. The coworker was then readmitted to the hospital for infections related to the burns. The coworker's injuries were not recorded.