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Pa. Environmental Officials Hope to Have Well Controlled By End of Week

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Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection officials say they hope the gas well that went up in flames last week can be controlled by Friday.

“Obviously, there’s a number of contingencies that could occur, from weather, to unanticipated problems,” said Scott Perry, spokesman for the DEP.

A fire last week caused significant damage to a gas well that had been hydraulically fractured. It’s just north of the West Virginia border.

Perry says the well was going to be going through a process where water is removed from the well, when the explosion occurred. The investigation is ongoing.

“The most critical question is why did this well fail,” said Perry.

“There was an uncontrolled release of gas, and that was ignited from a source that was yet to be determined.”

Gas is still venting at the site. One worker at the site when the explosion occurred is missing. Officials told media outlets Wednesday remains were found at the site, and the worker is presumed to be dead.