Days after a natural gas well exploded and burned in Southwestern Pennsylvania, Chevron delivered an edible apology of sorts to community members. Gift certificates for a pizza and pop, accompanied by a short letter from Chevron, were distributed to about 100 households in rural Greene County.
The Feb. 11 Chevron fracking well explosion killed one worker and injured another.
Many recipients found the company’s response hard to stomach. Says CNN:
“Worst apology ever: Sorry our fracking well exploded. Here’s a free pizza,” one angry Twitter user wrote Tuesday.
“Nice community relations: If you are frightened by fire and explosion, relax, have a pizza!” another tweet stated.
CNN reported that the fire burned for four days before being extinguished, and “gas and heat are still being emitted into the atmosphere.”
The Huffington Post says the apology letter from Chevron included a toll-free community hot line number. The Chevron note states in part:
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.
A Chevron representative confirmed to The Huffington Post that it sent the gift certificates as a “token of appreciation” to area residents affected by the explosion and subsequent fire. Chevron said, “We are out in the community every day to listen to and address concerns.”
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