A large explosion erupted at the Kerr Dam in Oklahoma, killing two people. Officials with the Grand River Dam Authority have not yet released specific information about how the deadly Kerr Dam explosion accident occurred. Investigators have only now begun their work at identifying what went wrong at the dam, resulting in the tragic death of two people.
The Kerr Dam explosion accident occurred at about 6:00 p.m. Oklahoma time on Thursday, May 13, 2021. Three men were at work at the dam at the time of the blast. They were engaged in what has been described as the routine collection of core samples, according to a representative of the Grand River Dam Authority. The trio of workers were not employees of the Grand River Dam Authority but rather were employed by an independent contractor.
When the explosion occurred, rubble from the blast cascaded down on the workers. One of the men was able to escape alive in the aftermath of the explosion. The other two men were trapped underneath rubble and debris. Evidently, the men were confirmed to be alive when initially trapped under the wreckage from the blast.
Unfortunately, rescue workers were unable to reach the two trapped men until about 4:00 a.m. Friday morning. By that time, they had died. The names of these two workers have not been released pending notification of their loved ones. Similarly, the name of the man who escaped the aftermath of the blast has not been identified either.
The injured man was taken to an area hospital for treatment. His condition is not life threatening and he may have already been released by this time.
According to the Grand River Dam Authority a comprehensive emergency response team was dispatched to Kerr Dam immediately after the explosion. These included personnel from a number of agencies including:
- Tulsa Fire Department Technical Rescue Team
- Claremore Fire Department HazMat Team
Representatives from a number of agencies are involved in the investigation of the Kerr Dam explosion accident. No information is yet available as to the timeframe within which at least some additional data will be presented by authorities, specifically about the cause of the accident.
According to the Grand River Dam Authority, Kerr Dam itself sustained no structural damage as a result of the explosion. Moreover, representatives reported that the instability of the dam is not a threat. In addition, as of this time, there have been no reports of any other injuries associated with the blast. There have been no reports of property damage associated with the explosion beyond the dam itself.
Kerr Dam is located in Mayes County, Oklahoma. It is situated on Lake Hudson. The dam is located about 45 miles east of Tulsa. Tulsa itself is the second largest city in Oklahoma.
U.S. Representative Markwayne Mullin represents the district in which Kerr Dam is situated. He released a statement on the tragic event:
“I am praying for the families of the two men who lost their lives during this difficult time. I am also grateful for the rescue efforts of the emergency crews and first responders.”
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