Aerial view of the burning oil well after a blowout Wednesday responsible for three deaths. - Screencapture Via KBTX

Aerial view of the burning oil well after a blowout Wednesday responsible for three deaths.

Screencapture Via KBTX

The death toll from a fiery oil well blowout Wednesday afternoon in central Texas has climbed to three.

News media identified the latest fatality as Brian Maldonado, 25, of San Diego, Texas, who died Saturday. Another yet unidentified worker died from their injuries Thursday.

Wendell Beddingfield of Tyler died at the scene of the blast Wednesday. Three injured workers, including the two who later died, were airlifted by helicopter to trauma center hospitals.

Maldonado was flown to the Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas at Austin where he underwent surgery Thursday afternoon.

Chesapeake Energy, owners of the well site, identified all the casualties as contractors.

A blowout is an uncontrolled release of crude oil or natural gas from oil or gas well after pressure control systems have failed. The flammable material can ignite into an intense fire.

Wild Well Control, specialists in oil field firefighting, responded to the scene 75 miles east of Austin.

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