TIONESTA -ðThe oil well fire/explosion Saturday in the Allegheny
National Forest in Forest County that left two people with burns
has been ruled accidental.

Two people, who had not been identified by police as of Tuesday,
were reportedly injured in the fire.

According to the Tionesta-based state police, the fire broke out
at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday at an oil and gas well just west of
Watson Farm Road in Howe Township.

The police said in a release that two well drilling company
employees were injured. Their names, sex, ages and addresses were
not released.

An article that ran in a Kane area paper Monday, however, said
two people – one an employee of Vertical Resources, Sugar Grove,
and the other an employee of S.W. Neilly Air Notching, Bradford
-ðsuffered severe burns as a result of the fire. The well is
reportedly owned by Vertical Resources, and the Bradford company
was preparing the well for production when the fire broke out.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation by state
police fire marshal Trooper Mick McCracken and the Tionesta-based
state police. McCracken was not immediately available Tuesday
afternoon for further comment.

Scott Neilly of Bradford, owner of S.W. Neilly Air Notching,
told The Era Tuesday his employee -ðwho he declined to identify –
was “in good shape,” and probably suffered first-degree burns.

He went on to say he understood the employee from Vertical
Resources had already been released from hospital. Both were
initially taken to the Burn Center at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh,
he said.

No one was immediately available at the ANF Marienville Ranger
District late Tuesday afternoon. A recorded outgoing telephone
message at the station said office hours end at 4 p.m. on
weekdays.

About 30 firefighters from Highland Township Volunteer Fire
Department in Elk County, Ludlow Volunteer Fire Department in
McKean County, Sheffield Fire Department in Warren County and
Marienville Fire Department in Forest County responded to the
scene, where they stayed about two hours.

Firefighters reportedly assisted in setting up a landing zone
for an emergency helicopter at the intersection of routes 66 and
948 about a mile west of Russell City.

The fire caused damage to several nearby trees in the forest,
but was contained relatively quickly, reports indicate.

There was no further information Tuesday night.