TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. — Workers have capped a malfunctioning natural gas well in northeastern Pennsylvania that spilled wastewater and prompted evacuations.

State Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman Colleen Connolly says the well in Wyoming County was brought under control early this afternoon.

Officials say the well began malfunctioning about 6 p.m. Wednesday and worsened overnight, spilling hundreds of gallons of wastewater a minute. Connolly says about 5,400 barrels of the fluid were captured in tanks.

Three families who evacuated overnight have since been allowed to return.

Environmental crews have not detected any volatile chemicals or methane in the air surrounding the well.

Houston-based Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc. owns the well.

Connolly says the incident is being investigated.