2 Oklahoma Tank Battery Explosions Injure 3 Workers

An explosion and fire at an Oklahoma oil tank battery injured two workers yesterday, AP reports.

Just before 2 p.m., a Devon Energy oil well pad in Okarche, OK caught fire despite being not in use for production, said Lisa Adams, a spokesperson for Devon Energy. The two injured workers were employed by a contractor and were cleaning equipment.

The two workers were taken to nearby hospitals, but their condition is still unknown, as is the cause of the fire.

The Second Oklahoma Tank Battery Explosion in a Week

There was another oil tank battery explosion in Oklahoma last Thursday, according to local authorities. One person was injured and flown to a hospital in Oklahoma City. Their condition remains unknown.

The Thursday explosion took place in Thomas, a little over 50 miles west from the site of yesterday's explosion.

What Is a Tank Battery?

In the oilfield industry, extracted crude oil must be measured and tested before being pumped through the network of pipes that make energy production possible. A tank battery is a storage system for crude oil that's awaiting measurement and testing. They're found near wells and are a vital part of any oil extraction operation.

However, storage tanks are notoriously dangerous in industrial work. Periodic maintenance leaves workers vulnerable to volatile fumes that collect in the tanks over time. Sometimes, these fumes can cause asphyxiation or toxic exposure. In other cases, the fumes can ignite and cause an explosion.

Our firm has represented multiple people who were injured or killed in storage tank-related accidents:

• Family of Man Killed by Fire at Corpus Christi Magellan Tank Facility Deserves Justice
• Longville Oil Well Explosion Kills 14-Year-Old Girl
• Ice Cream Factory Explosion in Kentucky Linked to Liquid Nitrogen

Who Is Going to Be Held Responsible for the Explosions?

In storage tank accidents, the fault lies with the owning company 99% of the time. Lack of maintenance, training, resources, or all of the above are often the direct cause of these accidents, but the root cause of them all is corporate negligence. However, just because companies are at fault doesn't mean they'll be held responsible.

Despite the losses of life or limb, accidents like these are almost never taken to criminal court. Instead, the burden is on individual workers or their families to sue at-fault companies for what they've lost: their livelihoods, their mobility, their financial stability, their futures. Our oilfield accident lawyers have helped share that burden with thousands of families, winning them billions of dollars while allowing them space to heal and rebuild their lives.

If you were injured in an explosion and want to know how we can help, speak with us in a free consultation at (888) 493-1629 today.