Second Suit From Fatal Oklahoma Gas Rig Explosion

The natural gas explosion killed five workers.

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McALESTER, Okla. (AP) — A second wrongful death lawsuit has been filed over a natural gas rig explosion in Oklahoma that killed five workers. Betty Jo Cunningham of Seminole, Oklahoma, filed the lawsuit Friday. Cunningham is the widow of Roger Cunningham, one of three Oklahoma men killed in the January 22 explosion. The lawsuit names Red Mountain Energy, Red Mountain Operating, Patterson-UTI Drilling and Patterson-UTI Energy.

The widow of Parker Waldridge, also of Oklahoma, filed a similar lawsuit a week earlier. Patterson-UTI hasn't responded to a request for comment, but previously said it's committed to preventing future accidents. An attorney for Red Mountain hasn't returned a phone request for comment.

The explosion near Quinton, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Tulsa, also killed Matt Smith of Oklahoma, Josh Ray of Texas, and Cody Risk of Colorado.

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