A natural gas well 75 miles south of Jackson , Mississippi exploded at about 2 pm Saturday , killing one worker and critically burning four others . Authorities first evacuated wells within a half - mile but expanded to two miles for fear winds would scatter poisonous hydrogen sulfide gas , which is naturally associated with some gas fields . Officials decided to use a flame thrower to keep the escaping gas burning in order to burn off the poison . Experts at capping gas wells were to fly in Tuesday night . The gas rig , owned by R&H Oil and Gas of Tickfaw , Mississippi , was known as Travis No . 3 .
A natural gas well 75 miles SE of Jackson, Mississippi exploded at about 2pm Tuesday, killing one worker and critically burning four others. Authorities first evacuated people within a half-mile but expanded to two miles for fear winds would scatter poisonous hydrogen sulfide gas, which is naturally associated with some gas fields. Officials intended to use a flame thrower to keep the escaping gas burning in order to burn off the poison. Experts at capping gas wells were to fly in Tuesday night. The gas rig, owned by R&H Oil and Gas of Tickfaw, LA, was known as Travis No. 3.