Lake Hudson’s Kerr Dam explosion kills two contractors

MAYES COUNTY, Okla. – Authorities say two contractors died in an explosion at Kerr Dam on Lake Hudson Thursday evening. The two men were trapped 80 feet below the dam for about ten hours after the explosion before recovery crews found their bodies.

Investigators say the explosion came around 6:00 p.m. Thursday evening while three contractors were performing routine maintenance. One of them was able to escape and was taken to the hospital but the other two remained trapped for more than ten hours. At 4:30 a.m. Friday morning, crews recovered the bodies of two men tapped in the dam.

It’s still unclear at this time what exactly caused that explosion. Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) officials say a full investigation is underway, and they do not believe there is any structural damage to the dam.

No GRDA employees were injured in the blast.