A Louisiana oil rig exploded Sunday night and injured at least seven oil workers, according to a state police department.
A Louisiana oil rig exploded Sunday night and injured at least seven oil workers, according to a state police department.
Two police departments immediately dispatched boats Sunday evening to the Lake Pontchartrain rig for rescue operations, the Times Picayune reported. There were “a lot of injuries,” many of them serious, according to Kenner Police Department spokesman Sgt. Brian McGregor. So far seven injuries have been confirmed, but police expect the number to rise.
WATCH:
The blaze started at around 7 p.m. EST when “cleaning chemicals ignited on the surface of the oil rig platform,” according to a post on the City of Kenner Facebook page.
Several local residents called police to report a “loud sound” following the rig’s explosion. When fire authorities arrived to the scene, the rig was ablaze and they worked alongside a “good Samaritan vessel” to control the flames, the Times-Picayune reported.
While there was some initial worry of the fire spreading, firemen who responded to the scene said there was no possibility of further property damage, due to its location on the lake.
Clovelly Oil Co. owns the rig and is currently cooperating with authorities in working to stop the flow of oil.
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