Oklahoma Gas Rig Explosion Draws 2nd Wrongful Death Suit

A second wrongful death lawsuit has been filed over a natural gas rig explosion in Oklahoma that killed five workers.

Betty Jo Cunningham of Seminole, Oklahoma, filed the lawsuit on March 9. Cunningham is the widow of Roger Cunningham, one of three Oklahoma men killed in the Jan. 22 explosion. The lawsuit names Red Mountain Energy, Red Mountain Operating, Patterson-UTI Drilling and Patterson-UTI Energy.

The widow of Parker Waldridge, also of Oklahoma, filed a similar lawsuit a week earlier.

Patterson-UTI hasn’t responded to a request for comment, but previously said it’s committed to preventing future accidents. An attorney for Red Mountain hasn’t returned a phone request for comment.

The explosion near Quinton, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Tulsa, also killed Matt Smith of Oklahoma, Josh Ray of Texas, and Cody Risk of Colorado.

• Wrongful Death Suit Filed over Oklahoma Gas Rig Explosion
• Driller in Oklahoma Oil Well Explosion Has History of Fatal Accidents
• Oklahoma’s Supreme Court Says Oil Company Can Be Sued After Worker Injury or Death