Fire Rages through Petroleos Mexicanos Platform; No Injuries Reported

All crew members on an offshore oil platform operated by Petroleos Mexicano have been evacuated after a fire raged through the platform last week . There were approximately 213 workers on the KU-S platform in the Ku Maloob Zaap field in the Bay of Campeche.

This is Mexico’s largest oil producing field, and for several years now has been a source of major production. All 213 platform workers are reported to be safe, and no major injuries have been reported. Production has been shut down at the platform. According to Mexican officials, the fire was put out within half an hour.

The fire was triggered last week after a compressor explosion onboard the platform.  The urgent response plan was activated. The fire was detected in a turbocharger located on the third level of the platform. The 213 workers working on the platform were taken to a housing area which is attached to the platform. There is no information about when production work on the platform will resume.

This fire comes within 10 days of a major fire and explosion that tore through a Chevron oil rig off the Nigerian coast. Two contractors who were working on the oil rig are confirmed to have been killed in the fire. More than 152 crewmembers had to be evacuated.

Maritime law lawyers everywhere need to be concerned about the number of such incidents that seem to be occurring, especially in international waters.