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Second victim identified in well explosion; investigation continues
Tuesday, July 27, 2010

While the investigation into what caused Friday's fatal explosion at an Indiana Township gas and oil well continues, the second man killed in that accident was identified Monday.

Andy Yosurack Jr., 56, of Creekside, Indiana County, a sixth-degree black belt in tae kwon do who used to manage a fitness center near his home, died Friday while doing maintenance on an oil storage tank that exploded at 9:50 a.m., according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's office.

He and another worker, Kevin Henry, 46, of New Florence, suffered significant burns and were pronounced dead at the scene at 10:16 a.m.

The two had been working at the site with a third man who was not injured. Police have not released his name, but he has provided information for the investigation.

It took till Monday for authorities to name Mr. Yosurack because he was badly burned and dental records had to be used to positively identify him.

Autopsies conducted Saturday on both men were inconclusive, and a cause of death determination is pending the result of toxicology and other tests, the medical examiner said.

Something caused an explosion at the 2-year-old well that ripped open a 12-foot-by-8-foot oil storage tank that was flung about 70 yards from the blast site, located off of Rich Hill Road in Indiana Township.

Investigators, including the county fire marshal and police detectives, township police, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, have not determined the cause of the blast and are still investigating.

The well is one of a handful in the township owned by Huntley & Huntley Inc., a drilling company based in Monroeville.

No other injuries were reported at the site, although three of the estimated 200 first responders were treated at a nearby hospital for smoke- and heat-related issues.

Mr. Henry and Mr. Yosurack worked as welders for Northeast Energy Management, an Indiana, Pa., drilling and pipelining company.

The announcement of his death saddened friends and neighbors of Mr. Yosurack's on the rural road where he lived about seven miles north of Indiana, Pa.

"He was a good man who stayed to himself a lot," said Claudine Bothel, a neighbor who lived across Bell School Road from Mr. Yosurack for most of the last 30 years.

Born in Barstow, Calif., Mr. Yosurack moved to Pennsylvania when he was a boy and later ran the Yosurack Fitness Center in downtown Indiana for several years while he was a competitive tae kwon do athlete.

He loved to hunt and had a yellow lab, named Rocky, who was his constant companion when he was home, Mrs. Bothel said.

He is survived by two sisters, three children and one grandchild.

Sean D. Hamill: shamill@post-gazette.com or 412-263-2579.

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First published on July 27, 2010 at 12:00 am