7 PEOPLE EVACUATED FROM A NATURAL GAS PLATFORM

HOUSTON – The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steelhead evacuated seven people from a natural gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico about 20 miles off Matagorda, Texas, Wednesday evening.

At 8:53 p.m. Coast Guard Group Corpus Christi received a call from painters working on the natural gas platform Brazos 538. The painters reported that they heard the sound of an explosion, smelled the strong odor of gas, and wanted to be evacuated immediately.

At 10:50 p.m. the cutter Steelhead, homeported in Port Aransas, Texas, arrived on scene and safely evacuated all seven painters. The Steelhead then rendezvoused with an offshore supply boat from Williams Energy Co., and transferred the painters. The offshore supply boat had been en route to the platform to remove the painters.

There was no report of any injuries or pollution.

7 PEOPLE EVACUATED FROM A NATURAL GAS PLATFORM

HOUSTON – The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steelhead evacuated seven people from a natural gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico about 20 miles off Matagorda, Texas, Wednesday evening.

At 8:53 p.m. Coast Guard Group Corpus Christi received a call from painters working on the natural gas platform Brazos 538. The painters reported that they heard the sound of an explosion, smelled the strong odor of gas, and wanted to be evacuated immediately.

At 10:50 p.m. the cutter Steelhead, homeported in Port Aransas, Texas, arrived on scene and safely evacuated all seven painters. The Steelhead then rendezvoused with an offshore supply boat from Williams Energy Co., and transferred the painters. The offshore supply boat had been en route to the platform to remove the painters.

There was no report of any injuries or pollution.