Oil fire being allowed to burn out in New Mexico
Ponca City Now - July 12, 2016 11:42 am
NAGEEZI, N.M. (AP) – Authorities say no injuries are reported from a fire at an oil production storage site in a rural area of northwestern New Mexico.
Tulsa, Oklahoma-based WPX Energy says the fire started late Monday night and is being allowed to burn out, an approach that the company says is being taken to protect responders.
WPX says a response by 50 firefighters and WPX personnel kept the fire contained on the five-acre site about two miles south of Nageezi.
The location is on the Navajo Nation and in southeastern San Juan County.
WPX says an investigation will determine the cause of the fire.
WPX spokesman Kelly Swan says the fire burned 30 temporary oil storage tanks but did not burn six newly operational oil wells feeding those tanks.
