An oil rig explosion on a lake north of New Orleans, apparently brought about when cleansing chemical compounds ignited, injured seven individuals Sunday and left authorities looking for one other who was lacking.
There have been "plenty of accidents," lots of them critical, with at the least seven confirmed and extra anticipated from the Sunday night explosion on Lake Pontchartrain, Kenner Police Division spokesman Sgt. Brian McGregor informed the Times-Picayune. No deaths have been instantly reported.
5 of the injured have been hospitalized with "blast-type accidents and burns" Mike Guillot, director of East Jefferson Emergency Medical Providers, advised reporters. They have been listed in crucial situation, he stated.
"Authorities on the scene report that cleansing chemical compounds ignited on the floor of the oil rig platform," the Kenner authorities posted on its Fb web page Sunday night.
As daybreak broke Monday, U.S. Coast Guard crews hoped to get a helicopter into the air of their seek for the lacking man, Petty Officer Lexie Preston stated. The helicopter crew would look to identify any signal of air pollution on Lake Pontchartrain, she stated.
Stories of fireside and smoke being seen from Lake Pontchartrain got here into the town’s emergency operations middle about 7:15 p.m., Jefferson Parish spokesman Antwan Harris stated in a information launch Sunday night time.
Clovelly Oil Co. owns the platform, which was is in manufacturing, stated Taylor Darden, a lawyer for the corporate who's listed as its registered agent with the Louisiana secretary of state.
The platform, situated in Jefferson Parish, is used for the switch of oil, stated Chief David Tibbets of the East Financial institution Consolidated Hearth Division. He stated the division's instant objective is to cease oil movement and, if wanted, let it burn off safely.
Authorities acknowledged there was a risk that the hearth might ship oil leaking into the lake, however famous that Jefferson Parish consuming water will stay protected as a result of it's pulled from the Mississippi River. The Coast Guard and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Basis will consider water high quality.
Social media customers reported listening to a loud noise that rattled houses.
Andrew Love, 32, informed the Occasions-Picayune he was inside his home about 10 blocks away when he heard the explosion. "My home truly shook," he stated. "At first I assumed it was a sonic growth or one thing; I had no concept what was occurring."
Flames might be seen from the world and the air smelled of burning rubber, in line with the newspaper.
UPDATES:
7:22 a.m.: Up to date with further particulars and search plans
This story was initially revealed at 5:10 a.m.
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