WATFORD CITY, N.D., June 21 (UPI) -- One person is dead and two others are in critical condition following a fire at an oil installation at the heart of shale basins in North Dakota, a regulator said.
Alison Ritter, a spokesperson for the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources, was quoted by The Bismark Tribune as saying crews experienced "a kick of gas" at a well site in McKenzie County in the western part of the state.
A 52-year-old man died as a result of injuries and two other men, both in their 20s, are in critical condition after suffering third-degree burns over 70 percent of their bodies, the report said.
It's the first such fatality at a North Dakota oil site for the year. The men were working for Most Wanted Well Service and SEI Well Service and, last year, Most Wanted was fined for safety violations after a worker sustained broken bones during a similar accident.
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No release of material was reported from the incident and there was no contamination outside the well site, the report said.
North Dakota is the No. 2 oil producer in the United States and the incident comes as energy markets start to rebound from heavy declines in early 2016. The state gained one rig deployed in exploration and production activity since Monday. Rig counts serve a loose barometer to gauge the health of the oil and gas sector, as more rigs suggest stronger spending plans for energy companies working in North Dakota shale.
XTO Energy, which has three rigs deployed in North Dakota, described the incident as a "flash fire," the North Dakota newspaper reported. The regional division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident.
