Wellington Man Among Dead In Oklahoma Gas Well Explosion

QUINTON, OK — Authorities have identified the five men who died after a gas well exploded in Quinton on Monday morning. The men were from Oklahoma, Colorado and Texas. Cody Risk, 26, of Wellington, was listed as among the dead.

The fiery blast erupted just before 9 a.m. Monday on state Route 31 and Bascom Road, according to Pittsburg County officials. The explosion sent a cloud of thick smoke into the air and crumpled a derrick, a tall metal structure above the well.

On Tuesday morning, the McAlester/Pittsburg County Emergency Management office said they have moved from rescue to recovery mode.

"Fire and rescue personnel performed initial, primary and secondary searches of the immediate area yesterday for those missing, without success," the office said in a release.

The other men were identified as:

• Josh Ray, 35, Fort Worth, Texas
• Matt Smith, 29, McAlester, Oklahoma
• Parker Waldridge, 60, Crescent, Oklahoma
• Roger Cunningham, 55, Seminole, Oklahoma

The medical examiner’s office was contacted and is expected to arrive at the scene around noon.

"We are waiting for the scene to cool and the oilfield companies to stabilize the area before scene investigators are able to go into the scene to continue investigation and recovery efforts," the county said.

State and local agencies will remain at the scene and maintain security until the scene is released. Donations are no longer needed, the county said.

Photo credit: Screenshot of YouTube video