Louisiana Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

An explosion at the Multi-Chem Corporation chemical plant, followed by a series of smaller ones, has led to an evacuation of the area's residents. Preliminary reports indicate that no injuries have taken place but it will take some time before a full understanding of the incident is known. The company, which creates oilfield product chemicals, still does not know the full details of the incident. That another explosion has taken place, with the Dow Hahnville incident still in recent memory, leads to a lot of questions regarding the safety standards and practices being utilized at these facilities.

The Associated Press reports that the incident, which appears to have first begun at 4 pm today, featured a significant explosion that could be heard from more than a mile away. The incident led to a one mile radius surrounding the plant being evacuated as all plant employees are accounted for. While the State Police say no one was injured in the incident, previous chemical releases have proven that only after some time are the full effects of an explosion known.

A Multi-Chem Group in Houston spokesman says that the company is still in its exploratory phase and will provide details when they are available. Information is still scarce at this time but we will update this blog as it is available.

Reports are coming in that an explosion has taken place at the New Iberia chemical plant, leading to an immediate evacuation of residents in the area and plant personnel.

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

The Berniard Law Firm is proud to announce the release of an innovative new iPhone application that can be considered a must-have for individuals in the Gulf Coast. With extensive versatility and options including multiple contact points for our attorneys, as well as consistent site updates that will keep you informed of legal developments as they become available. Released October 26, we recommend everyone download the application in order to stay abreast of a variety of issues that relate to them.

In the works for some time, and with an update already planned, the Berniard Law Firm iPhone app puts law matters that are important to Louisiana residents in the palm of their hands. Constantly refreshing, with updates relating to our website, this application is an effort by our firm to allow our friends and clients quick access and up-to-date information for their daily lives. Whether using the application to send our firm a legal question or to call our offices, we strongly encourage anyone that wants an attorney and a wealth of legal information at your fingertips.

Specifically, the Berniard Law Firm Injury Attorney iPhone App provides users
- Entry page to record important details in the event of an accident
- Minimal size installed (only 3.1 MBs)
- Practice area explanations
- Quick jumps to consistently updated blogs
- Fast contact information to speak with an attorney

One feature that is extremely important and valuable in the Berniard Injury Attorney App is the entry page. Composed of data input fields that target inherently important details of an accident, using this portion of the application can help you make sure you record all of the necessary information at a time in which it maybe be difficult to remember. Providing an easy, step-by-step accident guide, this application can even include a picture with the information report with a simple tap.

For more information on how to download this application, or to discuss your legal rights regarding an issue that you are facing currently, contact our offices today. The Berniard Law Firm would happily discuss with you what opportunities you may have within the realm of the law, as well as give you a free consultation in regards to how we can best get you the justice you deserve.

To download the application, click here.

The Berniard Law Firm is look to tackle a negligent refinery by representing a Chalmette resident assaulted by chemicals released from a St. Bernard Parish oil refinery. While taking a walk through her neighborhood on the morning of September 6, 2009, the woman observed white dust covering homes and vehicles. She experienced exposure symptoms including difficulty breathing, coughing, sore throat, headache, and burning sensations in her nose and eyes. As the symptoms persisted, she went to a hospital the following day. The white powder comprised a spent catalyst including components of kaolin and titanium dioxide which are eye, skin and lung irritants. Portions of Chalmette, Arabi, and New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward were blanketed with the fine white powder.

In addition to releasing a ton of spent catalyst, the refinery released two thousand pounds of sulfur dioxide, one thousand pounds of nitrogen oxide, and an unspecified amount of hydrogen sulfide. Not only was the refinery negligent in releasing the toxic chemicals but also for failing to notify area residents of the accident in a timely manner so that they could take precautionary measures. Moreover, children and pets are more susceptible to exposure symptoms due to their smaller size while residents with certain pre-existing medical conditions would also suffer greater harm than a healthy adult. For example, children have a greater lung surface area to body weight ratio along with other parameters that differ from adults leading to greater susceptibility to chemical inhalation effects at lower concentrations. Likewise, pre-existing medical conditions including chronic pulmonary disease and asthma increase susceptibility to exposure symptoms at lower concentrations.

Specifically, sulfur dioxide may induce acute exposure symptoms comprising irritation in the upper respiratory tract, nosebleeds and rhinorrhea (runny nose), coughing and choking, expectoration (coughing up phlegm), dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), and oropharyngeal erythema (redness). Although predominately affecting the upper respiratory tract via inhalation, sulfur dioxide also acts as an intense eye and skin irritant by combining with water producing sulfuric acid and sulfurous acid. Dermal exposure symptoms range from irritation to urticarea (itchiness) and burns. Given this high solubility, sulfur dioxide is also rapidly distributed throughout the body producing metabolic acidosis possibly inducing vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, headache, vertigo (dizziness), and agitation. Decontamination should include removal of contaminated clothing and rinsing of the skin and eyes. Reproductive and teratogenic effects (malformation of embryo, fetus) of exposure are unknown, which has raised concerns among women at varying stages of pregnancy at the time this accident occurred.

Hydrogen sulfide is an extremely fast acting chemical with high toxicity. Low level exposure symptoms include eye, nose, and throat irritation while moderate level exposure can lead to headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Notably, hydrogen sulfide is heavier than air resulting in accumulation in enclosed and low-lying areas. Consequently, exposure in children and pets is greater than in adults due to their shorter stature and smaller airways. Even at low levels, hydrogen sulfide inhalation may induce exposure symptoms of headache, dizziness, and upset stomach. Reproductive and teratogenic effects are unknown.

Low levels nitrogen oxide exposure symptoms include eye, nose, throat, and lung irritation as well as shortness of breath, tiredness, nausea, and lung fluid build up for one to two days. Of particular concern are reproductive animal studies revealing toxic effects on developing fetuses and alterations in genetic material. This is especially important for women who were pregnant at the time of exposure.

The involuntary chemical exposure suffered by area residents was exacerbated by the refinery's failure to notify thus depriving them of the opportunity to keep themselves and their children indoors or arrange to leave the contaminated area. None of the chemicals are as innocuous as area residents were led to believe, and no data is available to predict adverse consequences of the combined chemical exposure. For more information, please contact the Berniard Law Firm.

According to a recent ABC News report, court documents from a class-action lawsuit against that has been filed against Toyota claim that the company is in possession of documents that show that the automaker documented confirmed cases of sudden acceleration without driver error as many as 7 years ago. Other alleged company documents show that Toyota has been able to recreate instances of sudden acceleration, again without driver error, within the last year.

The documents are referred to in a revised complaint that has been filed against Toyota in U.S. District Court for Southern California. In the suit, forty Toyota owners claim that sudden acceleration problems has caused them financial harm by reducing the resale value of their cars. The suit claims that, "Toyota failed to disclose that its own technicians often replicated sudden acceleration events without driver error."

In a 2003 document quoted in the complaint, a technician reported a sudden acceleration incident where he found a "mis-synchronism between engine speed and throttle position movement." The technician requested immediate action to correct the dangerous problem. Another document, from 2005, involved a Toyota dealership report that states that a dealer verified two separate acceleration incidents with a Toyota Sequoia. A 2003 report described what was called a "surge event," despite no trouble code on a scan tool. According to consumer safety experts, many of the sudden acceleration problems could be resulting from a defect in Toyota's electronic throttle control systems. The company has repeatedly denied that the vehicles have electronic problems.

This lawsuit was filed amidst reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was preventing the release of information that proved that the acceleration problems actually did result from driver error, and implied that drivers mistakenly pushed the wrong pedal. The lawsuit fights back against these reports and claims that Toyota has acted recklessly in their strategy to deal with the complaints---blaming all of the problems on driver error.

While this particular lawsuit has claimed that defective Toyotas led to financial harm for owners in the form of decreased resale value, Toyota is also facing lawsuits from people who have been injured during acceleration incidents. Recovery in those suits will depend on being able to prove Toyota's liability for injuries one of four ways:

1. Negligence-If Toyota acted negligently in the manufacturing of their products and did not take reasonable care when they should have they can be held liable. The negligence could have occurred through using defective parts or improper assembly techniques if they added up to dangerous or malfunctioning products. If it can be proven that Toyota knew about problems and did not correct them, they undoubtedly acted below the appropriate standard of care in the manufacture of their products.

2. Breach of warranty-If Toyota sold vehicles to customers and did not uphold claims or promises made about their products they can be held liable. If Toyota has made claims about safety or promises about correcting acceleration problems that were not corrected, warranties may have been breached.

3. False Advertising- If Toyota ads led customers to believe that their products are safer then they actually are or distracted them from inherent risks in using the vehicles they can be held liable. If Toyota advertising promised no acceleration problems or that they have been corrected and they were not, they could be held liable here.

4. Strict Liability-Strict liability will exist here if Toyota, as the manufacturer or seller of a defective product, is found responsible for all injuries that occur from the use of the product. Victims in this case must show that the vehicles were defective and the defect caused the injury. If this is proven, liability exists regardless of a finding of fault on Toyota's part.

If you drive a Toyota car or truck and were injured or otherwise negatively affected by an acceleration problem you may be able to recover damages. Please contact an attorney experienced with product defect cases as soon as possible to ensure that each of the proper steps are taken to increase your chances of recovery.

Breaking news from the Times-Picayune with reports up to 29 workers were injured when a supply vessel struck a gas line 15 miles southeast of Cocodrie.

24 workers in total were evacuated from the scene of the accident, with five other workers transported to the Louisiana Marine Consortium. The Consortium functions as a makeshift medical center to deal with any problems related to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

More information will be posted here as it becomes available.

For all of our readers who are on Facebook, our firm has unveiled a new Page dedicated to the BP oil spill as a means to keep abreast of the latest news and more.

Click here to add us!

Recently, we discussed the availability of funds under the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) and the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF) for compensating Louisiana residents who suffer property damage as the result of an oil spill. Claims for oil damage to boats are treated as a separate category from other types of personal property under the OPA.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard's National Pollution Funds Center web site, the owner of a boat can submit a claim for the cost of removing oil stains from his vessel (including its interior furnishings like upholstery and carpeting) so that the boat is restored to its pre-fouled condition. Claims can also be filed for damage to mechanical parts of the boat, such as an outboard motor, rudder, anchor winch, etc.

As with other property claims under the OPA, claimants must meet a series of specific requirements in order for their claims to be accepted by the National Pollution Funds Center. The claimant must prove that he owned or leased the boat at the time of the oil spill and must show that the vessel was damaged or destroyed by the oil and not some other event. The claimant must substantiate the value of the boat both before and after the oil spill as well as the costs to repair or replace the boat. The claim must contain evidence to support the value sought, which can include photographs of damage, the boat's name and the date of the boat's last hull painting, the year the boat was built or overhauled, the boat's length, its hull material, a copy of boat's title or other ownership documentation, the Vessel Identification Number, the location where boat was damaged by the oil, or the date and location that the boat was cleaned and/or repaired.

As with personal property and real property, boat owners have only three years to gather the necessary documentation and submit a claim under the OPA. If your boat has been damaged or destroyed by the Deep Horizon oil spill, you should not delay in contacting an attorney who is an expert in filing boat claims. An attorney can assist in all aspects of the claims process, including locating boat appraisal professionals who can substantiate the dollar value of your loss.

Continue reading "What You Should Know About Boat Damage Claims Under the Oil Pollution Act (OPA)" »

In a previous post, we explored the role of the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) and the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF) in compensating Louisiana residents who incur oil removal and clean-up costs. These funds are also available for coastal residents who suffer property damage as a result of an oil spill.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard's National Pollution Funds Center web site, the OPA permits filings for oil-related losses to real and personal property. Real property damage is defined as "injury to or economic losses resulting from destruction of land or buildings." For example, the owner of oil-fouled waterfront property can file for reimbursement of the costs to restore the property to its pre-spill condition. Or, if the owner decides to sell the property without restoring it, he can submit a claim for the difference between its pre-spill assessed value and the reduced price he receives for the fouled property after the spill.

Personal property damage is "injury to or economic losses resulting from damages to other types property you own or lease besides real property." For instance, a fisherman can submit a claim for the cost of cleaning or replacing a shrimp net, fishing tackle, or clothing that is fouled by oil.

The OPA requires that property damage claims meet a number of specific requirements. The first is that the claimant must prove ownership of the damaged property. This primarily pertains to real property claims and can be accomplished by titles, deeds, or other public records. The claimant must show that the damage complained of was actually caused by oil and not some other factor. Further, the claimant must show that the amount of damage claimed is "appropriate." This can be achieved by citing the cost to repair or replace the property, the appraised value of the property before and after the spill, or, in the case of real property, the amount of loss suffered when selling the fouled property. Documentation is essential and can take the form of photographs, reports from governmental agencies, invoices, receipts, witness statements, professional property appraisals, lease or rental agreements for substitute property, or any other documentation the claimant feels will help support the amount claimed.

Property owners have only three years to gather the necessary documentation and submit a claim under the OPA. Claims must be for a specific amount of money, which means it is imperative that property owners take the necessary steps to determine the true value of their losses.

An attorney who is an expert in the OPA claims process can ensure that your claim is properly prepared, adequately substantiated, and timely filed.

Continue reading "What You Should Know About Property Damage Claims Under the Oil Pollution Act " »

The massive oil slick drifting ominously in the Gulf of Mexico has state officials worried for the health of Louisiana residents who live along the coast. Since April 20, when the oil rig Deepwater Horizon exploded and subsequently sank, oil has been flowing into the Gulf at a rate of up to 200,000 gallons per day. The fact that the oil has not yet reached land is largely the result of favorable winds and currents, both of which are subject to change at any moment. As of Friday afternoon, underwater robots had begun positioning a four-story tall, 100-ton box made of concrete and steel over the gushing well on the sea floor. The device will permit crews to recover most of the oil from the well, but it will not entirely stem the flow. It will also do nothing to address the oil that has already escaped and looms ever closer to the coast.

According to an AP story carried by Yahoo News on May 7, state and federal authorities are gearing up to deal with the many hazards to human health that will result if and when the oil reaches land. Officials are advising coastal residents to take precautions now. "We don't know how long this spill will last or how much oil we'll be dealing with, so there's a lot of unknowns," Dr. Jimmy Guidry, Louisiana's state health director, said. "But we're going to make things as safe as humanly possible."

Last week, in what many saw as a preview of things to come, a foul stench drifted over parts of lower Louisiana. According to Alan Levine, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, the oil was likely to blame. Levine's office received numerous complaints, some from state legislators in New Orleans, who were more than 130 miles from the epicenter of the disaster.

According to the AP report, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has begun 24-hour air quality monitoring in coastal areas and is now posting the readings online for ozone and airborne particles like soot. These materials are irritants that can cause respiratory distress in humans, particularly those with chronic conditions such as asthma or emphysema. Also, fires being set deliberately by the Coast Guard to burn off oil on the water are producing acrid smoke that could cause problems for those who come into contact with it.

The health symptoms for exposure to the oil leak are simple and simple actions can prevent problems caused. Public health agencies are advising residents near the coast who experience nausea, headaches, burning eyes or other discomfort to remain indoors, close windows, and turn on air conditioners. People who must be outside should take care to avoid exerting themselves.

Clean drinking water and a safe seafood supply are also a concern. The Louisiana Health Department has ordered testing of municipal water systems near the Gulf for signs of oil. Some coastal cities, including New Orleans, source drinking water from the Mississippi River, which so far has shown no signs of oil contamination. Nevertheless, the Coast Guard is inspecting boat traffic on the river and will order any ships with oil-coated hulls to be scrubbed down. Health officials have pronounced fish, shrimp, oysters, and other Gulf seafood that have already made it to market safe to eat. "If we see increases in hydrocarbons or other contaminants, we'd stop the flow of seafood," Levine said. The major immediate risk from eating contaminated seafood is gastrointestinal sickness. However, given that oil contains carcinogenic compounds, officials are concerned about fish from oily waters reaching consumers.

Please return to this blog often for further health updates from state officials.

A growing amount of national attention has begun to shift upon the oil spill disaster developing in the Gulf Coast. With some news sources declaring it "a disaster without precedent," the explosion and subsequent sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig has led to an environmental nightmare. With thousands upon thousands of gallons of oil leaking into the Gulf, it will only be a few days before a more vivid, and scary, picture can be drawn of what Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states are facing.

The Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegraph reports

Eve, who lives on the water 20 miles east of New Orleans, said strong oil fumes were engulfing his neighborhood. "You can't breathe the air comfortably," he said. "It bites you right in the back of the throat and your eyeballs burn."

Obama administration officials fanned out across the Gulf of Mexico states pledging attention and assistance. In an already troubled economy, the oil slick threatened to damage the region's fishing and tourism industries as well as disrupt shipping along the Mississippi River.

On Friday, Louisiana's departments of Health and Hospitals and Wildlife and Fisheries announced severe restrictions on fishing and oyster harvesting east of the Mississippi River.

This synopsis accurately captures the situation New Orleans faces currently. Be it merely the fumes of spilled oil or a severe blow to the local fishing industry, the problem has finally reached the city and Louisiana at large. The longstanding effects aside, the current situation is not one any resident of the area would have ever expected a month ago and is yet another blow to a region that has faced chemical discharges and horrific hurricane damage.

More information on this issue will be posted as it becomes available.

For those struggling to visualize the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil leak being faced by Louisiana and other Gulf Coast residents, the Times-Picayune has released a helpful graphic depiction of the various elements involved in the matter.

Using information from the US Coast Guard, NOAA, BP and Transocean, Dan Swenson provides the following

We would encourage our readers to check out the full article accompanying the graphic as it outlines with great detail the situation in New Orleans, Venice and other areas in the Gulf Coast that are waiting anxiously to understand what fate will befall them in the face of this environmental disaster.

As always, we will provide updates on this matter, as well as expert legal analysis of this issue, throughout the week.

The oil spill that occurred as a result of the explosion on the oil rig Deepwater Horizon is enormous. As oil continues to spew into the Gulf of Mexico and near the Louisiana coastline, estimates have begun that place the size of the spill at a stunning proportion.

According to the Associated Press,

A graphic posted by authorities fighting the slick shows it covering an area about 100 miles long and 45 miles across at its widest point.

And, thanks to NASA, the spill can be seen from space. As of the 27th, news reports had the spill at "48 miles long and 39 miles wide." Given that reports today have more than doubled that slick's length, it's appropriate for many to be concerned.

To put this slick's size into perspective (100 miles long and 45 miles across), consider the following:

Rhode Island is 37 miles wide and 48 miles long. This would mean the conservative numbers of 48x39 used yesterday to describe the slick would place the oil disaster as the size of the smallest state in America.

The state of Vermont is approximately 161 miles long and 80 miles wide.

Massachusetts is 183 miles wide and 113 miles long.

Connecticut has a length of 110 miles and a width of 70 miles. The oil spill, as reported today, would be roughly half the size of the state of Connecticut, a state that has a population of 3,501,252.

It's terrifying for many whose livelihood is based on industries that require a healthy Gulf Coast that a slick half the size of Connecticut could be nearing this country's biggest river mouth. Only time will tell what the ramifications will be of this disaster but information will be posted on this blog as it becomes available.

In an effort to prevent the oil leaking from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico from reaching the Louisiana shoreline, crews are discussing burning the slick. In a complicated process intended to keep the oil from reaching the sensitive marsh coastline, officials are discussing an idea that would shift the oil to a safer location where it would then be ignited in some way and allowed to burn.

The Associated Press reports

A 500-foot boom will be used to corral several thousand gallons of the thickest oil on the surface, which will then be towed to a more remote area, set on fire, and allowed to burn for about an hour, the Coast Guard said. Such burns will continue throughout the day if they are working.

It was unclear what would be used to set the oil on fire and how far from shore it would burn. The slick was about 20 miles east of the mouth of the Mississippi River.
About 42,000 gallons of oil a day are leaking into the Gulf from the blown-out well where the Deepwater Horizon exploded and sank last week. Eleven workers are missing and presumed dead. The cause of the explosion has not been determined.

Greg Pollock, head of the oil spill division of the Texas General Land Office, which is providing equipment for crews in the Gulf, said he is not aware of a similar burn ever being done off the U.S. coast. The last time crews with his agency used fire booms to burn oil was a 1995 spill on the San Jacinto River.

Preventing the oil from reaching the coast is inherently important because of the delicate ecosystem that exists along Louisiana's Gulf shore. As the article mentions, the oil is only twenty miles from the mouth of the Mississippi River and should that toxic material become integrated with the plant and wildlife that thrive in that area the results could be catastrophic.

The burn, on the other hand, appears to be a much safer option, according to Pollock

"I would say there is little threat to the environment because it won't coat an animal, and because all the volatiles have been consumed if it gets on a shore it can be simply picked up," he said.

Authorities also said they expect no impact on sea turtles and marine mammals in the burn area.

A graphic posted by authorities fighting the slick shows it covering an area about 100 miles long and 45 miles across at its widest point.

What happens if this burn does not work is unclear but the potential harm it could cause local fisherman and businesses that operate within a clean, healthy environment is serious. The relief well that is being worked on could take months to complete while oil continues to spew into the Gulf and increasingly endanger the Gulf Coast states.

We will continue to monitor this issue and post news as it becomes available.

Early yesterday morning relatives of the survivors of the Deepwater Horizon explosion anxiously awaited the return of their family members. About 100 workers escaped onto a supply boat following Tuesday nights tragic explosion. When the boat arrived ashore early this morning they were looked over by doctors and then taken to a New Orleans hotel for what must have been an emotional reunion. Some families couldn’t wait that long. The Associated Press reports:

Some relatives, including Dana Eugene of Slidell, instead chose to meet their loved ones sooner when they docked in Port Fourchon. She tearfully hugged her brother, Kevin Eugene, who she said was tired and didn't look good.

'He's kind of shook up,'Eugene said, adding he described the ordeal as 'very scary.'

'We just want to get home,' she said.

The explosion certainly was scary, and not only for the workers. The hours dragged on for family members who waited Wednesday night to hear word from their loved ones. 4:30 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel couldn’t come fast enough.

Survivors were shaken up on their return home. According to reports from the Houston Chronicle :

Stanley Murray was reunited at the hotel with his son, Chad Murray, 34, the rig’s chief electrician.

'The first thing he asked for was a tooth brush,' said family friend Jessica Sharp.

Stanley Murray said his son told him workers had less than five minutes to get off the rig.

'My son had just walked off the drill floor,' Murray said. 'He said if been there five minutes later he would’ve been dead.'

While families like the Murray’s enjoyed a tearful happy reunion they also provided comfort to family members of those still missing. According to survivors, there is not much hope that any of the missing will be found alive given the magnitude of the explosion and fire.

Rig workers and their families are aware of the potential risks that go along with the job. However, that didn’t stop the fear relatives felt when hearing about the crash early Wednesday morning. Debi Nunley of Tyler’s husband works offshore on a different rig and called his wife to let her know their 24 year old son Mark was among the missing. Thankfully, 7 1/2 hours later the family got word that Mark had been found and was on his way back.

Kristin Hall of Denham Springs hadn’t heard about the fire when her husband called late Tuesday night to tell her he was okay. Even receiving good news was emotional for the mother of 3 whose 36 year old husband has held oil field positions for the last 10 years.

'It's definitely a risk that he takes when he goes out there,' Hall said Wednesday afternoon while she waited for word that she could reunite with her husband. 'He's told me before that they could blow up. He really knows the dangers.'

Even with the risks involved, Hall doesn’t think her husband will make a career change. She is comforted with the knowledge that he is well trained and rig fires like this one are relatively rare.

Following the explosion on the oil rig Deepwater Horizon 50 miles southeast of Louisiana’s coast Tuesday night, officials, crewmembers, and their families most likely have had serious questions about what could have ignited such an intense fire. At this point the cause is unknown and formal investigation will not be underway until rescue and firefighting efforts are completed.

The Times-Picayune reports:

The Coast Guard's Command Center in New Orleans received a report Tuesday about 10 p.m. that the rig was on fire and the crew was evacuating.

Luckily crewmembers perform safety exercises on a regular basis and are familiar with evacuation procedures. There were also several offshore supply boats in the area that provided assistance.

Just prior to the fire, the crew was cementing a production casing atop an 18,000 foot deep well. The plan was for the well to be abandoned and later tied into production facilities. This was done according to plan with appropriate testing completed and most likely was not to blame.

The Deepwater Horizon is owned by Transocean, Ltd., the world’s largest offshore drilling contractor. Transocean is a Swiss Company with offices in Houston. The rig has has been leased to BP Exploration Production Inc. who pay about $500,000 a day to use the huge 400 by 250 foot rig (roughly the size of two football fields). Last summer the Deepwater Horizon drilled the world’s deepest oil well, nearly six miles into the Gulf of Mexico, and enabled BP to find the Tiber Prospect, one of the largest petroleum discoveries in the US. While BP picks drilling locations for the Deep Horizon and designs the well, Transocean devises the drilling plan and operates the rig. The rig is only used for drilling and does not actually produce any oil.

The Associated Press reports:

Adrian Rose, vice president of Transocean, said the explosion appeared to be a blowout, in which natural gas or oil forces its way up a well pipe and smashes the equipment. But precisely what went wrong was under investigation.

Because Tuesdays explosion occurred in international waters, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will not be able to investigate. However, according to OSHA, Transocean has no safety violations for the past five years. BP on the other hand has two open and 27 closed cases. BP also operates the site of a 2005 refinery explosion in Texas City, Texas that killed 15 people and injured 170. That accident was investigated by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. According to Bloomberg News, the Board is considering investigating this rig incident as well.

After missing crewmembers are found and safely evacuated, the cause for the accident can be investigated thoroughly and the damage to the rig (whether it can be saved) properly assessed. The Deepwater Horizon was built in 2001 in South Korea. It cost about $350 million to build and has a replacement value between $500 and $600 million.

A thunderous explosion rocked an oil rig named the Deepwater Horizon 50 miles off the Louisiana coast last night - potentially causing the nation’s deadliest offshore drilling accident in more than 50 years.

As noted in an article in the Times-Picayune, at least 15 of the 126 crewmembers onboard were injured and 11 were still missing as of Wednesday

The Coast Guard was prepared to search through the night Wednesday for 11 missing workers as firefighters battled a raging blaze fueled by crude oil gushing from the rig about 50 miles southeast of Venice.... Rear Adm. Mary Landry, commander of the Coast Guard's 8th District, said an intensive search for the 11 missing workers would continue into the night if necessary.

'We will continue searching as long as it is reasonable that we might stil find someone,' she said.

Seventeen workers total were taken by helicopter to hospitals across the region. According to Adrian Rose, Vice President of Transocean, Ltd. (the Swiss Company that owns the Deepwater Horizon), the injuries included burns, broken legs, smoke inhalation, and lots of scratches and bruises sustained while people tried to get away. Anxious family members waited at Port Fourchon last night to be reunited with 98 of the workers who were rescued.

In the deep waters of an area known as the Mississippi Canyon, the rig was estimated to be leaking 13,000 of sweet crude oil an hour with nearly all of it burning up in the fire. Although an oil spill is not expected, pollution response vessels were sent to the scene just in case. Even Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal has gotten involved. According to Jindal, “Officials at the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority are also working with the state’s oil spill coordinator office to monitor any potential environmental impact.”

Pollution control efforts aside, the main focus right now is obviously search and rescue, which requires putting out the fire consuming the rig. Five private fireboats battled the blaze throughout the day yesterday, fighting flames that shot up to 200 feet in the air. A remotely operated vehicle will be sent to cut off the flow of petroleum at the base of the river in hopes of extinguishing the flames. This could prove difficult, however, due to the size of the fire and intensity of the heat. The fire was so intense that Marc Creswell, an Air Med helicopter pilot, could see it from 70 miles away as he flew in from Lafayette to pick up the injured. “It was so bright that we had to take off our night vision goggles about 40 miles out,” he said.

More information on this issue will be posted as it becomes available.