Burleson County, TX (February 1, 2020) – An oil well blowout last month killed three field workers and left one injured while they were performing maintenance on the rig. The accident occurred on January 29 around 3:30 p.m. near Caldwell.
Investigators say a crew of 11 contractors for Eagle Pressure Control and C.C. Forbes were working on a well owned by Chesapeake Energy when an uncontrolled release of natural gas caused an explosion.
One of the contractors, 38-year-old Windell Beddingfield, died immediately at the scene. His mother is seeking a temporary restraining order against Chesapeake Energy, requiring them to preserve evidence from the explosion.
Three other victims suffered severe burn injuries and were airlifted to hospitals in both Houston and Austin. One of the victims, 25-year-old Brian Maldonado, underwent surgery at the Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas in Austin, but died on February 1. Another contractor, Brad Hendrix, also died days later from his injuries. The condition of the third worker is unknown.
Hendix’s daughter, Madison Hendrix, has sued Chesapeake Energy, Forbes Energy Services, Eagle Pressure Control, and Halliburton Co. for the death of her father. The wrongful death suit seeks $1 million for negligence, including failure to provide a safe work environment and adequate medical attention.
The cause of the natural gas ignition is still under investigation by oil industry regulators.
Source: Houston Chronicle, Reuters
Contact a Qualified Texas Wrongful Death Attorney Today
Unfortunately, wrongful deaths due to oil field injuries like this happen far too often in Texas. Police must investigate these accidents thoroughly to determine the cause and hold those responsible accountable. At The BFH Law Group, we understand how devastating these accidents are for the families and friends of the victims.
If you sustain injuries or lose a loved one in an accident like this, please contact one of our Texas wrongful death attorneys at 866-762-0302 to set up a free consultation. We will fight to get you the compensation you deserve.
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Donovan Francis
Prior to working with BFH Law Group, Donovan gained valuable accounting and financial advisory consulting experience in areas including external and internal audit, merger and acquisition due diligence, revenue and expenditure forecasting, litigation cost management, policymaking, compliance, and business valuation gained across Fortune 500 companies in the healthcare, banking, and airline industries.