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Maritime News

Five Louisiana offshore workers injured when flotell catches fire

Posted on Jul 22, 2010

Five offshore workers were injured when a minor fire broke out in their “flotell.”

The flotell, a barge stacked with shipping containers, was being used as a floating bunkhouse for more than 500 workers hired to assist British Petroleum (BP) with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill clean-up in the Gulf of Mexico. The flotell is located in Baptiste Collette Bayou in Plaquemines Parish.

The fire was reported at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20. The fire broke out in the area being used as a mess hall. Five men were injured. The majority of the injuries were due to smoke inhalation, but one man sustained a contusion to the hand and another inhaled some fire suppressant chemicals.

The fire was put out and the flotell sustained only minor damage. BP says that all the workers were evacuated and given clean clothing.

Officials at BP are trying to determine the cause of the fire. It is unknown if the injured workers were employees of BP or a hired by a contractor hired for the oil company.