2nd Victim Identified In Indiana Township Gas Well Explosion

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office has identified the second victim of an explosion at a natural gas well in Indiana Township last week.

VIDEO: 2 Killed In Gas Well Explosion RAW VIDEO: Chopper 11 Over Explosion Scene

Fifty-six-year-old Andy Yosurak Jr., of Creekside, was identified Monday as the second man killed when an oil tank exploded at the well in Indiana Township, about 15 miles northeast of the city.

Kevin Henry, 46, of New Florence, was identified Saturday as the first victim.

The state Department of Environmental Protection, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the county fire marshal and the well's owner, Huntley & Huntley Inc. of Monroeville are still investigating the cause of Friday's explosion.

The blast happened Friday at about 9:50 a.m. near Rich Hill Road. Firefighters and police responded to the scene, where flames could be seen shooting into the air.

The cause wasn't yet known, but state officials believe "people were welding at the site and there was an explosion and the well caught fire," said DEP spokeswoman Helen Humphries.

"Why they were welding or what caused the explosion, I don't know yet," Humphries said.

A truck near the well had its paint scorched off and at least one of its tires had melted in the blaze.

The well, dubbed Murray Heirs No. 6, is a shallow well, about 3,500 feet deep, and was drilled in May 2008, Humphries said. It was considered to be a producing well.

“(My wife) said she was in the house and just heard a gigantic explosion that shook the whole trailer,” said neighbor David Louis.

Another neighbor, Jim Biernesser, said he’s been worried an explosion would happen at the site.

“Yeah, and my wife said, ‘It happened. The well blew up,’” said Biernesser. “My neighbor said his house shook.”

"If you were stand next to a firework, fireworks going off, that's what it was like," said neighbor Travis Novak. “There was a tank that exploded on the ground, dented, ripped to shreds. Pipes were down, trees were down."

Neighbors who complain about gas drilling in the area said they feared an accident like this would happen.

"We have kids, we have safety issues,” said Biernesser. “These people come onto a private road and do whatever."

The DEP said Huntley and Huntley has no outstanding violations and that the company has only been cited twice since 1998.

• E-Mail Newsletter: Get The Latest News Sent To Your E-Mail! • Mobile: Get WPXI Headlines On Your Phone, iPhone, More • RSS: Add Us To Your Page!