Blaze erupts on Gulf of Mexico rig after natural gas blowout

As if the area hasn't had enough environmental problems, now we have another blowout in the Gulf. The blaze erupted after the crew hit an unexpected pocket of gas.

Coast guard and federal authorities are working with the BSEE to coordinate efforts on finding a solution and responding accordingly. Also too note, all 44 workers aboard the rig have been safely removed.

Source

A fire erupted on a drilling rig off the Louisiana coast that was surrounded by a “major cloud of gas” after it experienced a blowout, officials said late Tuesday.

The blaze began about 10:50 p.m. local time (11:50 p.m. ET) on the Hercules 265 natural gas platform, which is located around 55 miles off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico.

Eileen Angelico, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, said no one was on board when the fire started. The cause of the blaze was unknown early Wednesday.