An off shore industrial accident resulting in a massive fire on an oil rig off the coast of Louisiana has left at least 11 people missing and seven injured. According to the Coast Guard, the industrial accident on the oil rig platform happened around 10:00pm Tuesday night, 52 miles southeast of Venice, LA. This offshore oil rig, owned by Deep Water Horizon, was staffed with 126 workers at the time of the blast and was still burning as of Wednesday morning.

With news still coming in as I type, there are conflicting reports stating that at least 11 are missing, and as many as 15 are missing. Seven industrial workers were flown by helicopter to a Naval air base near New Orleans, and then farmed out to local hospitals with at least 2 of the 7 taken to a specialty burn unit hospital. According to a Coast Guard spokesperson, the many workers that escaped the industrial explosion were moved on to land by a workboat while the authorities continue to search the Gulf of Mexico for any signs of other lifeboats.

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Just a few minute ago, a West Virginia coal mine has suffered a very serious industrial accident and explosion. Reportedly, there are six fatalities and at least 20 coal miners missing and unaccounted for. The coal mine is owned by Massey Energy, whose stock fell in closing hours of the market today.

Emergency crews are working quickly in this industrial explosion at the Massey coal mine. According to US government statistics this mine has a higher than average non-fatality accident rate. More information will be reported soon as this is a minute to minute disaster recovery situation.

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A gas well explosion blew a large tank 50 feet off its foundation at a gas well battery in rural Wise County. The explosion at the gas well was in a cow pasture near Hlavek Road about six miles west of Decatur, Texas.  Two contract industrial workers for Devon Energy were injured.  The gas rig workers were welding near the tank battery when the explosion happened.  The Wise County fire marshall is conducting an investigation into the explosion.  Preliminary reports indicate that the workers were welding a line inside a pit next to a gas separator when something went wrong.

The contract workers received burns and respiratory injuries which are being treated at a hospital.

If you or a family member has been injured on an industrial site or oil rig as a result of an explosion, contact Burwell Nebout Trial Lawyers today, we are on YOUR side.

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BP caused the wrongful death of 15 workers and injuring hundreds in the March 2005 Texas City, Texas explosion.  After enormous payouts in lawsuits and large fines at the Texas City, Texas refinery, BP was again fined $87.4 million by OSHA for failing to comply with the original agreements to fix safety problems in Texas City.

Once again, BP is being fined by OSHA for safety violations in its BP-Husky refinery in Toledo, Ohio.  OSHA found that BP has often ignored or severly delayed fixing known hazards in its refineries.  The US Labor Secretary concluded that there is no excuse for taking chances with industrial workers lives and must fix the safety hazards immediately.  The BP Toledo refinery’s problems with pressure relief valves are similar to the conditions at the Texas City refinery which caused the massive 2005 explosion.  OSHA found 38 wilful violations of which 26 violations dealt with pressure relief valves.

BP continues to place profits over safety.  With quarterly earnings in the billions of dollars, there is absolutely no excuse for lack of maintenance in its US refinery facilities.  When BP is faced with public scrutiny for explosions which kill or injure workers to on the job injuries resulting from equipment failure, a fear campaign is used to scare the workers and residents of the refinery towns that BP will close the refinery and move it to a different location which is often suggested to be out of the US.  It is time that BP steps up to the plate, performs the necessary maintenance in its refineries and operates in a profitable but safe manner.

If you or a family member has been injured or suffered a wrongful death from a refinery explosion or industrial accident, contact Burwell Nebout Trial Lawyers today, we are on YOUR side.

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