A week ago today an explosion at a Chevron Appalachia natural gas drilling site shook the town of Dunkard, PA. The ensuing fire burned for days and one missing worker has been presumed dead, according to CBS Pittsburgh.

For days after the explosion the sound of the fire can be heard at least a mile away from the site. Photo credit: Katie Colaneri / StateImpact Pennsylvania

Reportedly, in an effort to smooth ties with residents affected by the blast, the Chevron Appalachia Community Outreach Team went door-to-door delivering gift certificates for free pizzas to about 100 homes. The coupon is good only for a large special combo pizza from Bobtown Pizza. The voucher also includes a two-liter soda and expires May, 1.

Originally posted on the website nofrackingway.us., the letter from Chevron reads:

Chevron recognizes the effect this has had on the community. We value being a responsible member of this community and will continue to strive to achieve incident-free operations. We are committed to taking action to safeguard our neighbors, our employees, our contractors and the environment.

As reported on EcoWatch, the explosion highlights the proximity problem of oil and gas wells to homes and schools. While Chevron is busy attempting to make amends with residents, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is fighting to reinstate Gov. Corbett's (R-PA) Act 13—the law that would allow gas well pads and fracking infrastructure to be built 300 feet from residencies—a move that would almost surely make disasters such as the Dunkard well explosion more devastating. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down Act 13 at the end of last year, finding it unconstitutional and ruling that municipalities had the authority to regulate zoning.

Visit EcoWatch’s FRACKING page for more related news on this topic.