Inspection Detail

Inspection: 303081277 - Ellis Deshotel Contractors

Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1, a roustabout, was in an International 1466 tractor with a mower attachment, cutting weeds around mostly inactive wellheads in the Chicot State Park area, approximately 5 miles north of Ville Platte, LA. His tractor came too close to a wellhead and the back right tire apparently struck a 2 in. diameter nipple/valve, breaking it off. The well had been inactive for approximately 30 years, but there was still some gas pressure in the casing, and a spark--either from the tractor or from the breaking of the nipple--ignited the residual gas. The explosion apparently blew Employee #1 off the tractor, throwing him approximately 30 ft from the wellhead. He was killed. The fire burned for 2 hours before expiring for lack of fuel.

Keywords: EJECTED, CLEARANCE, GAS WELL, FIRE, STRUCK AGAINST, NATURAL GAS, GAS, EXPLOSION, VALVE, TRACTOR