Two men dead after explosion at area dam; natural gas may be a factor
May 15—Grand River Dam Authority officials confirmed two contractors who were trapped after an explosion at Kerr Dam have died.
According to GRDA, the bodies of the two men were recovered around 4:30 a.m., Friday. The names of the individuals were not released, but officials said the two were not GRDA employees.
Justin Alberty, GRDA vice president of corporate communications, said contractors were addressing a scouring issue in the dam when an explosion occurred just before 6 p.m., Thursday. The three were also investigating natural gases detected in a vertical tunnel.
Officials said preliminary results revealed pockets of those gases may have been the reason for the explosion.
According to officials, the contractors were aware natural gases were present in the dam at the time of the explosion.
Crews were able to get one contractor out of the shaft Thursday evening. That person was transported to a hospital in Pryor to be examined.
The three men worked for DA Smith Drilling, based out of Colorado.
The cause of the explosion is unknown and a full investigation is underway.
