Hose Break Suspected in West Virginia Well Site Fire

Investigators believe a hose break caused a fire that damaged several pumper trucks at a gas well site in the Northern Panhandle.

State Department of Environmental Protection Kathy Cosco says the cause hasn’t been verified. But she tells The Herald-Star of Steubenville, Ohio, that an initial review indicates that a break in a hydraulic line from a pump caused a spark.

The fire occurred Monday at a Chesapeake Energy well site in the Wellsburg area in Brooke County. The trucks are owned by a subcontractor, FTS International.

Cosco says drilling operations will be halted until the investigation is completed.