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Gas drilling rig on fire in Gulf of Mexico | Gas drilling rig on fire in Gulf of Mexico |
(35 minutes later) | |
A fire has broken out on a rig drilling for gas in the Gulf of Mexico, 55 miles (85km) off the Louisiana coast, US officials say. | A fire has broken out on a rig drilling for gas in the Gulf of Mexico, 55 miles (85km) off the Louisiana coast, US officials say. |
A blowout at the well on Tuesday morning forced the evacuation of 44 workers from the platform. | A blowout at the well on Tuesday morning forced the evacuation of 44 workers from the platform. |
US Coast Guard and federal safety officials are still trying to assess the potential hazards. | US Coast Guard and federal safety officials are still trying to assess the potential hazards. |
The area was hit by the Deepwater Horizon rig that exploded in 2010, leaking millions of gallons of oil. | The area was hit by the Deepwater Horizon rig that exploded in 2010, leaking millions of gallons of oil. |
Eleven oil rig workers were killed in what was the worst US offshore disaster. | |
The latest blowout was not of that magnitude, officials told the Associated Press news agency. | The latest blowout was not of that magnitude, officials told the Associated Press news agency. |
The portable drilling rig - which operates in shallow waters of 154 feet (47m) is owned by Hercules, a contractor for the exploration and production company Walter Oil & Gas Corporation. | |
One Coast Guard cutter, Pontano, is near the scene and another, Cypress, is travelling to the area. | |
The fire continues to burn but the rig structure is still intact, Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Carlos Vega told BBC News. | |
A spokeswoman for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Eileen Angelico, told AP it was not clear what had caused the gas to ignite. | A spokeswoman for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Eileen Angelico, told AP it was not clear what had caused the gas to ignite. |
Industry experts are at the scene to try to work out how to bring the well fire under control. | Industry experts are at the scene to try to work out how to bring the well fire under control. |