One of the contract workers severely burned during last week’s explosion at a MarkWest Energy gas processing plant outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has tragically died of his injuries.
Emergency responders transferred the 61-year-old Salem, West Virginia, man to UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh on December 13th, shortly after a blast rocked MarkWest Energy’s Houston Processing and Fractionation Facility in Washington County.
Although he died on Tuesday, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Officer only confirmed his death yesterday afternoon.
3 Energy Transportation Workers Being Treated at Pittsburgh Hospitals
The deceased was one of four contractors burned in the explosion. Helicopters transferred a second victim to UPMC Mercy, while two others were flown to West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh.
All four worked for Energy Transportation LLC, a pipeline contractor based in Bridgeport, West Virginia.
Authorities have not identified the three surviving contractors or issued any updates on their condition. On Wednesday, however, a spokesperson for Energy Transportation indicated they were recovering from their injuries.
Fatal MarkWest Energy Explosion Occurred During Pipeline Cleaning Operation
The MarkWest Energy facility in Houston, Pennsylvania, is located about 24 miles south of Pittsburgh, and processes natural gas extracted from the Marcellus Shale.
The Denver, Colorado-based company is the largest processor and fractionator in the Marcellus and Utica shale plays. According to its website, MakWest operates six facilities in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Last Thursday’s deadly explosion occurred shortly after 6:00 p.m., as the Energy Transportation contractors were cleaning a pipeline.
According to officials in Washington County, vapors caught fire and ignited condensate in two nearby temporary storage tanks.
Investigators Working to Identify Ignition Source in MarkWest Energy Plant Explosion
The tanks were located in a parking lot and had been brought onsite for routine maintenance.
Apparently, they contained condensate used in processing operations that has properties similar to gasoline.
At this time, it’s not clear why vapors caught fire during the pipeline cleaning operation. Investigators are still working to pinpoint an ignition source.
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