Louisiana Pipeline Fire Extinguished

A pipeline fire was finally extinguished  after burning in a Louisiana bayou since Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard said Friday. One man was critically burned and three others received minor injuries in the blaze, which began when a tug pushing a barge struck the gas pipeline.

While the fire was out, the Coast Guard said minimal flaring was continuing to rid the pipeline of the remaining liquid petroleum gas.

“At this time, we have no evidence of any substantial pollution of any kind,” said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Jonathan Burton. “Still seeing some smoke obviously from the residual from the fire, but other than that, the fire is currently out.”

Despite complaints from residents today, monitoring in Lafitte Parish did not detect any air quality problems, Coast Guard officials said.

The barge, which had been carrying 92,000 gallons of oil, was removed Friday afternoon when the transfer of the oil by a salvage company. The cause of the accident is now under investigation.

The Jones Act attorneys at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., Accident & Injury Lawyers have decades of experience representing seamen who have been injured on a vessel.