Two Workers Dead After Dam Explosion In Oklahoma

Two workers were killed by an explosion at the Kerr Dam in Oklahoma. A team of contractors was conducting routine core drilling about 80 feet from the top of the dam when the blast occurred. Officials said the drilling was part of a safety program.

One of the workers managed to escape, while the other two were trapped in the shaft. Rescue crews spent hours trying to save the workers but were unable to get to them in time. The third worker initially refused medical treatment but was eventually taken to the hospital with undisclosed injuries.

"At approximately 4:30 a.m. this morning, Friday, May 14th, recovery crews were able to recover the bodies of two men who had been trapped inside Kerr Dam," John Wiscaver, the executive vice president of Grand River Dam Authority, said in a statement. "Both men were contractors. No GRDA employees were involved in the incident."

Justin Alberty, a spokesman for the GRDA, told KJRH that the explosion did not damage the structure of the dam, and there is no threat that it will burst. Investigators are on the scene trying to determine the cause of the blast. 

Alberty suggested the workers could have hit a pocket of methane gas but cautioned that it would take time to determine what caused the explosion.

Photo: Getty Images


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