Crews managed to extinguish a fire at a Chesapeake Energy well site near Douglas after it burned for more than a week.
The fire started Sunday, September 6 and quickly spread to all six wells on the site. Chesapeake brought in Boots and Coots, a firm that specializes in well control, to fight the fire and cap the wells. The final well was capped on Tuesday.
While the fire was burning, some residents of Douglas reported an oily residue coating houses and cars. The company Chesapeake contracted to monitor air quality says the residue doesn’t pose a public health threat.
The Department of Environmental Quality says it is expecting a report from Chesapeake about the incident and will continue to monitor the site for any environmental impacts. The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission says it is also expecting a report on the incident, and is evaluating what kind of remediation may be needed at the site.
