Experts at capping gas wells were to fly in Tuesday night. 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 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 .