Gas Industry Apology For Explosion: Free Pizza

A young gas worker, age 27, an expectant father, was killed February 11th, in Greene County, PA, when there was an explosion on  a Chevron well pad.  The explosion caused a fire which burned out of control for 4 days.  Ian McKee's body was reduced to bones which were finally discovered this week after the fire was out.  Chevron sent out gift certificates for pizza and soda to nearby residents in an attempt presumably to mollify any strong negative reactions.  Read more here to see some comments from these pizza certificate recipients.  Kudos to Protecting Our Waters for its coverage of this news.

Here are two comments from people:

“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.

This Blogger's comment (that's me!):  It is a very common tactic to try to appease the victims or soon-to-be victims of the serious, sometimes fatal, consequences of the gas industry.  I truly think the industry thinks people are generally willing to be manipulated by little gifties.  The people who have been harmed are not in any way gullible or uneducated or anything else one might say about them.  They are us, you and me.  If I am not among them yet, it is just luck, and I could easily join their ranks in the near future.

Clean Air, Clean Water, Clean Soil, not Free Pizza!