Felipe Carrillo Injured in Oil Field Accident in Wichita County, TX
Wichita County, TX — November 16, 2023, Felipe Carrillo sustained injuries due to an oil field accident that happened around 4:00 p.m. off of Highway 25.
According to current statements in the news, the incident happened at an oil field reportedly between the towns of Electra and Kamay.
The cause of the accident remains unclear right now. Initial statements say that Felipe Carrillo was working at the time when a pipe somehow fell approximately 40 feet. The object landed on Carrillo, impaling him. It appears the pipe miraculously missed vital organs, and Carrillo was taken to a hospital where they removed the pipe. It appears Carrillo continues to recover from the injuries.
It almost seems like a one-in-a-million chance that this shocking story didn't have a more tragic ending, and I know I'm not alone feeling relief that the victim here is on the path to recovery. But what likely wasn't a one-in-a-million chance was whatever led to the accident in the first place.
Oil field jobs are incredibly dangerous, but a lot of the danger ends up being neglected safety measures and persistent workplace issues that put the lives of employees at risk. Is it possible this supposed pipe fell due to an unforeseeable, catastrophic failure? Sure, in which cause authorities would need to be looking into how the equipment was installed and whether or not there was some kind of manufacturing issue. However, if the item was dropped by workers or broke because it was being misused or poorly maintained, those are entirely avoidable mistakes that would warrant corrective measures.
After all, it's nothing short of a miracle this accident didn't end any worse than it already ended up being. Other workers shouldn't have to count on a miracle to get them back home to their loved ones after a hard day of work.
