Tomcat Drilling Accident Results In Death

Oil rig collapse kills 1

By Cass Rains, Staff Writer

A Kansas man was killed and another injured when an oil rig collapsed Saturday east of Ames.

Major County Sheriff’s Office responded to the accident a half mile east of town at 7:35 a..m. Ames Fire Department and Major County Ambulance also responded.

Deputy Nick Holdeman said Gabriel Ovalle Tellez, 31, of Liberal, Kan., was killed. David Gonzalez, of Hugoton, Kan., suffered a broken leg and other injuries and was taken by ambulance to Integris Bass Baptist Health Center. Holdeman said Gonzalez was in good condition.

Holdeman said Tom Cat Drilling crew members hit total depth on the drilling rig and lost circulation about 5:45 a.m. He said they were told to pull pipe out of the hole, and about 25 minutes later the rig collapsed.

The deputy said it appears to be an accident, and he will forward his investigation to Oklahoma Occupa-tional Safety and Health Administra-tion, which will investigate. Tom Cat, of Wichita, Kan., had contacted the state agency, Holdeman said.

Crew members remained at the site hours later, and Holdeman said they were “pretty shaken up.”

“They had been friends for a long time,” he said..

When asked if she heard anything, a nearby resident said she had heard noise all night from the drilling site.

“They were pretty busy,” said the woman, who did not wish to give her name.