CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE

Chesapeake Energy Corp. on Thursday suspended hydraulic fracturing at all of its wells throughout Pennsylvania until it determines the cause of a spill at a Bradford County drilling site.

Chesapeake said crews have significantly reduced the flow of chemical-laced water from its out-of-control natural gas drilling well near Canton.

The energy company lost control of the Marcellus Shale well site around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday, officials said. Thousands of gallons of drilling fluids spewed out of the well bore, escaped containment, crossed over farm fields and went into a tributary of Towanda Creek. No injuries or fish kill were reported.

By early Thursday, Chesapeake crews had built a containment system to divert the tainted water away from the stream, and Chesapeake spokesman Brian Grove said area waterways have shown "minimal impact, if any."

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