Fire fighters in Smith County Mississppi are reportedly fighting a fire at a natural gas well in the Boykin Church Oil Field (which produces oil and gas) after a piece of equipment overheated and caused the well head to catch fire. Five workers were at the site at the time of the incident, though all are reported to be unharmed. The well is not thought to be emiting any hazardous chemicals, though it may not be possible to extinguish the fire without shutting off the gas supply. Well owners Pan Southern Petroleum have reportedly requested help with the fire from a specialist fire fighting company from Houston, Texas.
Fire at the Smith County wellhead. Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.
The well is not though to present any pollution hazard at the current time, but the Mississippi Deparment of Environmental Quailty has implemented a number of precautionary procedures to protect a nearby creek, including constructing a berm (raised barrier to prevent the flow of fluids), adding a silt fence (fence designed to stop sediment movements), and placing a boom in the water.
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