NEW ORLEANS – Two men were rescued after an oil rig platform caught fire about 50 miles off Grand Isle in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday.
The GI 102A is owned Arena Energy which said it had shut down the platform two weeks ago and it was not in production, U.S. Coast Guard officials said in a news release.
The two men used a life capsule to escape the blaze, and were picked up by a nearby vessel. The fire is out and the men were taken to West Jefferson Medical Center in Marrero, said Petty Officer Steve Lehmann.
The Bureau of Oceans and Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement will verify the status of the wells and the platform, as well as investigate the cause of the fire.
Bernice Norris, a marketing manager for Arena Energy, didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment on Sunday.
The Guard release said Arena had hired firefighters in case the fire reignited. Guard officials said no pollution had been observed.
The Coast Guard has established a 1,000-yard security zone around the platform and a temporary flight restriction.
