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N0KFQ > TODAY 06.07.15 16:15l 43 Lines 1663 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 60703_N0KFQ
Read: GUEST
Subj: Today in History - Jul 6
Path: IW8PGT<IZ3LSV<IR1UAW<IQ5KG<I0OJJ<N6RME<N0KFQ
Sent: 150706/1415Z 60703@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA BPQ1.4.63
1988
Explosion on North Sea oil rig
On this day in 1988, an explosion rips through an oil rig in the
North Sea, killing 167 workers. It was the worst offshore oil-rig
disaster in history.
The Piper Alpha rig, which was the largest in the North Sea, was
owned by Occidental Oil and had approximately 225 workers onboard
at the time of the explosion. It was located about 120 miles off
the northeast coast of Scotland. On the evening of July 6, a gas
leak led to a massive explosion and fire on the rig. A fireball
350 feet high erupted from the platform.
The fire emitted toxic fumes that overwhelmed and killed many of
the workers. Others jumped more than 100 feet to the sea below to
escape the flames and fumes, even though they knew that the fall
would most likely be fatal. A couple of workers managed to
survive the jump; others somehow avoided death by sliding down
pipes into the treacherous waters below, where burning oil was
floating on the cold sea. They were then rescued by helicopters
and nearby boats.
Oil drilling in the North Sea began in the 1970s and has had a
mixed safety record. This disaster was by far the largest single
incident; most other deaths on the 120 rigs in the sea have been
due to bad weather.
A 1990 inquiry into the disaster was critical of the safety
procedures on the Occidental rig before the disaster, but did not
identify the direct cause of the explosion itself. A civil action
was resolved in 1997 with a finding that two deceased workers
were negligent, but that decision has not been generally
accepted.
73, K.O. n0kfq
N0KFQ @ N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA
E-mail: kohiggs@gmail.com
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