Gas well fire north of Calgary finally out; investigation into the cause is ongoing

COCHRANE, Alta. – An energy company that operates a natural gas well north of Calgary says a roughly 24-hour fire that injured five workers has finally been extinguished.

There was a “well control incident” Monday afternoon at the site about five miles north of Cochrane, Alta., but by early Tuesday afternoon “the fire was extinguished and the well was brought under control,” according to the updated news release. from HWN Energy Ltd.

The company says no more liquids or gases were released at 5:30 p.m.

RCMP had said they believed a crew hit a gas bag while drilling, causing a large explosion that injured workers.

According to HWN’s statement, five contractor personnel were injured during the incident, but details of their injuries or conditions were not provided.

Earlier, Alberta Health Services confirmed that paramedics took five people to hospital on Monday, three with life-threatening injuries and two with non-life-threatening injuries.

As of Tuesday, an AHS spokesperson said he could not provide an update on their circumstances due to patient privacy rules.

The company acknowledged the concerns of the local community and pledged to reassure the public that all possible measures had been taken to effectively manage the incident.

HWN also said it continues to monitor the situation and is willing to cooperate with ongoing investigations by representatives of the Alberta Energy Regulator and health and safety officials.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2024.

The Canadian Press