Well blowout and fire which destroyed drilling rig - December 21, 1981

In 1981 while drilling for gas, on Hatfield Moor near Doncaster, with a rig operated by Taylor Woodrow Energy, the well suffered a gas blowout at 1,600 feet and subsequently caught fire. It took 17 days before a team of American oil and gas well fire-fighting specialists (led by “Boots” Hansen) could be brought in to bring the fire under control. During the 38 days attempting to control the well’s fiery blow-out, approximately 1 bcf of gas was released. The fire was visible at night from over 8 miles away and so fierce was the heat from the fireball it took several weeks for the ground to cool after the fire was extinguished.