An explosion at the Kerr Dam near Locust Grove occurred around 6pm Thursday
The workers were doing core-sample drilling as part of routine maintenance
The workers likely encountered methane gas when the explosion occurred
Attempts for rescuers to reach the trapped workers were unsuccessful
Their bodies were recovered from the shaft around 4:30am on Friday
A third worker escaped after the explosion and was taken to the hospital
The Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) said the explosion happened just before 6 p.m. Thursday. Author: 5NEWS Web Staff Updated: 10:07 PM CDT May 13, 2021
OKLAHOMA, USA An explosion at Kerr Dam has left two workers trapped inside the damn according to KOTV. Rescue crews and swift water rescue teams are on the scene.
The Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) said the explosion happened just before 6 p.m. today (May 13).
Contractors were doing routine work testing the bedrock underneath the dam when the explosion took place.
One man was able to get out, but two others remained trapped. The man that was able to get out is getting checked at a local hospital.
Two killed in explosion at dam in northeastern Oklahoma
May 14, 2021
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LOCUST GROVE, Okla. (AP) Two men were killed and a third person was injured in an explosion in a northeastern Oklahoma dam where they were doing maintenance work, officials said.
Grand River Dam Authority spokesperson Justin Alberty said Kerr Dam, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of Tulsa, was not damaged in the explosion about 6 p.m. Thursday,
The men were contractors, GRDA Vice President John Wiscaver said, and the cause of the blast is under investigation. He said their bodies were recovered early Friday. Names weren t immediately released.
The explosion occurred as the workers were doing core-sample drilling as part of a normal safety maintenance program, Alberty said. The injured worker was taken to a hospital in undisclosed condition.
By Bill Galluccio
May 14, 2021
Two workers were killed by an explosion at the Kerr Dam in Oklahoma. A team of contractors was conducting routine core drilling about 80 feet from the top of the dam when the blast occurred. Officials said the drilling was part of a safety program.
One of the workers managed to escape, while the other two were trapped in the shaft. Rescue crews spent hours trying to save the workers but were unable to get to them in time. The third worker initially refused medical treatment but was eventually taken to the hospital with undisclosed injuries. At approximately 4:30 a.m. this morning, Friday, May 14th, recovery crews were able to recover the bodies of two men who had been trapped inside Kerr Dam,