ALABAMA NEWS

September 02, 2010 12:46 EDT

AP-US--Gulf Rig Explosion Update,0131

Gulf oil platform explodes, burning off La. coast

GRAND ISLE, La. (AP) -- The Coast Guard says no one was killed when an offshore petroleum platform exploded and began burning in the Gulf of Mexico, about 100 miles off the Louisiana coast.

The explosion is about 200 miles west of the site where BP's undersea well spilled after a rig explosion.

The Coast Guard says the blast was spotted by a commercial helicopter flying over the area this morning.

All 13 people aboard the rig have been accounted for, with one injury.

A Coast Guard spokeswoman says some of those from the rig were spotted in emergency flotation devices.

The Department of Homeland Security says the platform, known as Vermilion Oil Platform 380, was owned by Mariner Energy of Houston. DHS said it was not producing oil and gas.

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