While investigators have determined the identity of a person killed in a Wednesday night explosion of an oil tank battery near Waukomis, there are reports they are looking into whether the victim set fire to the tanks and was caught in the blast.
The victim was Keith Milacek, 33 who was operations manager for Centennial Farms LLC, Waukomis. Broadcast reports suggested he had been at odds with the oil tank battery operator identified as Berexco LLC of Wichita, Kansas. Milacek was not an employee of Berexco LLC.
The State Fire Marshal’s office is said to be exploring whether Milacek was killed after attempting to set the oil tanks afire.
“The cause of death is pending at this time,” said a spokeswoman for the State Medical Center. “They are conducting a full toxicology screen before they rule. The screen can take four to six weeks.”
The explosion site is about 2 and a half miles west of Waukomis according to Garfield County Sheriff Jerry Niles.
“We will have to wait on the medical examiner’s office to determine the cause and nature of death,” Niles told the Enid News and Eagle. “Deputies will be doing follow-ups the next coup;le of days and wait for the medical examiner’s report.
He said the investigation is continuing because it is unclear if it was an industrial accident or not.