Fire breaks at Chevron oil platform off Angola coast

(MENAFN) A fire broke out early Tuesday morning on the Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco (BBLT) offshore oil platform, operated by Chevron subsidiary Cabinda Gulf Oil Company Limited (CABGOC), off Angola's coast. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. local time during scheduled maintenance, injuring 17 workers, according to Angola’s National Agency of Oil, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG).

The blaze ignited on the platform’s basement deck while the facility was undergoing its annual maintenance. Production had already been suspended since May 1 due to these planned activities. ANPG stated that the fire was promptly contained by emergency crews, and the cause remains under investigation.

Injured personnel were flown to medical centers for treatment. Jornal de Angola reported that six workers were taken to the Sacred Hope Clinic in Luanda, where four are in critical condition and two remain seriously injured. Another four were admitted to Cabinda’s General Hospital with minor burns. Local health officials confirmed ongoing medical evaluations, with no reported deaths as of Tuesday.

However, Chevron later announced on Wednesday that one person remains unaccounted for following the fire, according to a Reuters update.

Located about 60 miles (96.5 kilometers) offshore from Cabinda, the BBLT platform accommodates up to 157 workers.

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