Two contractors who were trapped inside an Oklahoma dam following an explosion Thursday have died, numerous sources reported Friday morning.
Three contractors were doing routine core drilling Thursday at the Kerr Dam when an explosion occurred at around 6 p.m., the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) said, according to News On 6.
BREAKING: The GRDA confirms two men are dead after an explosion at Kerr Dam. They were trapped 80 feet below the surface, and their bodies have now been recovered. Tragic update ???? pic.twitter.com/QkrsY8EnyV
— Amanda Gilbert (@AGilbertReports) May 14, 2021
The Kerr Dam is located in northeast Oklahoma, roughly 50 miles east of Tulsa.
A photo of the scene where rescue crews are still working to reach the two men trapped 80 ft. below the Kerr Dam. pic.twitter.com/JHIfN1VkHC
— NewsChannel 8 | KTUL (@KTULNews) May 14, 2021
One man was able to escape the explosion, but two men were trapped inside about 80 feet down, GRDA officials told KJRH. Maynes County rescue crews worked throughout the night to try and rescue the two contractors, but GRDA confirmed that rescue crews recovered the bodies of the two contractors at 4:30 a.m. Friday, according to KJRH.
GRDA officials say Kerr Dam is not affected by the explosion involving contractors working on site at Lake Hudson in Mayes County. @KJRH2HD pic.twitter.com/IQayM7Zxs8
— Karen Larsen (@KarenLarsenKJRH) May 14, 2021
Justin Alberty, a GRDA spokesperson, told KJRH that the man that was able to escape initially refused medical treatment but was ultimately taken to a nearby hospital.
He added that the explosion didn’t cause structural damage and the instability was not a threat to rescue crews.
“As far as another explosion or structural problems, we don’t feel that there are,” Alberty said before the bodies were recovered, according to News On 6. “We feel that the scene is stable. We don’t know their conditions fully but we feel that the scene is stable.”
GRDA reportedly confirmed that the dam would not be releasing any water.
After recovering the two bodies, rescue crews left the scene. Officials are working to determine the cause of the explosion, according to News On 6. (RELATED: Useless Dam Causes Host Of Environmental Problems)