A routine Saturday on an oilfield north of Laredo turned into a life-or-death scramble after two workers were critically injured on a well site platform in northern Webb County, authorities said.
The incident unfolded on a work platform at a well pad off Farm-to-Market Road 1472 near Faskin Ranch, where emergency crews rushed in after reports of severe injuries. One worker was taken to a Laredo hospital, while the other remained in critical condition and was possibly airlifted to a San Antonio medical center, according to officials.
At about 11 a.m., a deputy was flagged down by a motorist who was driving one of the injured workers toward Laredo. The deputy escorted the vehicle to a local hospital, as reported by Laredo Morning Times. Deputies, the Webb County Fire Department and the Fire Marshal’s Office then headed to the well site near mile marker 412, where a second injured worker was removed from the platform and taken to a hospital.
The Webb County Sheriff’s Office said both victims had been on a work platform at the well pad when they were hurt, and the incident remains under investigation.
Workplace Hazards in Oil and Gas Operations
Oilfield platforms and rig work are notoriously dangerous, and national data back up what many South Texas workers already know from experience. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has analyzed federal data showing elevated fatality rates in oil and gas extraction work, and state fatal-injury tables from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that mining and extraction jobs rank among the most dangerous in Texas and across the country.
Investigation Ongoing
Authorities have not released the names of the injured workers or explained exactly how they were hurt. The Sheriff’s Office said the case remains under investigation, according to Laredo Morning Times.
Local crews secured the site, and the Webb County Fire Marshal’s Office is helping investigators determine whether safety protocols were followed. As of Saturday, officials had not announced any regulatory or criminal findings related to the incident.
