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3rd Worker Dies Of Injuries From Central Texas Oil Well Blowout Last Week

BRYAN, Texas (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — A third worker has died from injuries sustained during a Central Texas oil well blowout, the company said Monday.

Chesapeake Energy spokesman Gordon Pennoyer said in a statement the company is "deeply saddened" by the worker's death.

Pennoyer did not say when the worker died.

The worker was injured in the blowout on Wednesday, January 29 at a Chesapeake Energy well site near Deanville, about 75 miles east of Austin.

Chesapeake Energy well site near Deanville
Chesapeake Energy well site near Deanville. (courtesy: KBTX-TV)

One worker died at the scene while another three were airlifted on Wednesday to hospitals in Austin and Houston.

A second worker died on Thursday.

The condition of the other injured worker was not immediately known.

No identities have been released, but Pennoyer said the four were employed by contractors who were replacing drilling hardware on the well.

A blowout is an eruption of oil or gas from the wellhead that can erupt in flames if there is an ignition source, such as a spark.

The cause of the incident remains under investigation, Pennoyer said.

Chesapeake Energy is based in Oklahoma City.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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