SoCal offshore oil rig catches fire; 'no immediate threat' to environment, officials say
Los Angeles Times • • nation
Key Points:
- A fire broke out early Monday on Platform Habitat, an inactive oil rig about eight miles offshore from Carpinteria, California, leading to the evacuation of 26 workers with two minor injuries reported.
- The fire, caused by a gas leak during decommissioning activities, was contained by 11 a.m. after crews closed a safety valve, and there was no immediate threat to the environment or public safety.
- Emergency responders, including the U.S. Coast Guard and local fire departments, established a safety perimeter and used firefighting boats to control the blaze, while some workers returned later for safety inspections.
- Platform Habitat, operated by DCOR LLC, has been inactive since its lease expired in 2016 and primarily produced natural gas during its operational years.
- The incident highlights ongoing tensions between California’s environmental goals and federal efforts to expand offshore drilling, with environmental groups citing the fire as evidence of the risks associated with offshore oil extraction.