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Texas oil worker dead after falling into ND pit

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BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A Texas oil worker is dead after he fell into a pit on a North Dakota oil patch.

The Bismarck Tribune reported 42-year-old Daniel Navarrete of New Braunfels, Texas, fell through an open hatch in pit at a Nabors Industries oil rig north of New Town on Thursday. Such pits serve as collection points for spent drilling fluids and other materials.

Mountrail County sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene about 9:30 p.m. Other workers at the rig site had already tried to find and rescue Navarrete from the pit. He was found after the pit was drained.

Life-saving efforts failed and he was declared dead at the scene.