All crew members successfully rescued from fire at Platform Habitat off Carpinteria coast Monday
SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL, Calif. (KEYT) – All crew members have been rescued from a fire at an offshore natural gas platform about 7.5 nautical miles off the coast of Carpinteria Monday morning.
Platform Habitat, part of the Pitas Point Field, caught fire Monday morning and all 26 crew members have been safely returned to shore with two minor injuries reported from the scene according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The image below, courtesy of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, shows the location of Platform Habitat and the Pitas Point Unit southwest of Carpinteria.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the platform is not operational and was being prepared for decommissioning before the fire started around 6:30 a.m. Monday morning.
The fire was successfully secured Monday around 11 a.m. and personnel are returning to the platform to conduct safety work added the U.S. Coast Guard.
The platform was first installed in 1981 and produced mostly natural gas while in operation.
Your News Channel reached out to the company listed as the holder of the expired lease of the natural gas platform, Dos Cuadras Offshore Resources (DCOR L.L.C), as well as the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.
The Coast Guard coordinated a joint response that was started with the initial call of a fire at the platform at 7:12 a.m. Monday and there was an active 1000-yard safety zone in effect noted the federal agency.
"The safety of personnel and protection of the environment remain the Unified Command's highest priorities," said Lt. Commander Matthew Marler with the U.S. Coast Guard. "We are grateful for the interagency coordination amongst all of our partner agencies during this response."
There is currently no indication that the fire caused a spill of crude oil into the Santa Barbara Channel, but the exact cause of the fire is under investigation according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Santa Barbara Harbor Operations Director Nathan Alldredge said, the newest and fasted Harbor Patrol boat was first out on the call, and had Santa Barbara City firefighters on board. "Not only was it able to get out on scene incredibly quick but the two different monitors fire nozzles on the boat, one on the cabin and one on the bow, they were able to put water in excess of 50-60-70 feet on to that superstructure on that deck and get water on that fire right away."
Santa Barbara County Fire was also called out to assist and stage at the harbor with other fire equipment.
This is in the district of Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-California) who is in Washington D.C. and he has been alerted. He says "my office is closely monitoring reports of a fire on Platform Habitat, and we are in active communication with the U.S. Coast Guard to assess the situation."
Later on Monday, Congressman Carbajal shared the following statement with Your News Channel, "I want to thank the U.S. Coast Guard, Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol, Santa Barbara City Fire Department, and the Santa Barbara and Ventura County Fire Departments for safely evacuating the crew and extinguishing the fire on Platform Habitat. While we await a full investigation into the cause of the fire and any potential environmental impacts, today's incident serves as a sobering reminder of the inherent risks that offshore drilling poses to our coast. Our community shouldn't have to gamble with our environment, economy, and public health just to pad the pockets of Big Oil. I will continue to fight any plans to expand offshore drilling in our region, and advocate for alternative energy sources like wind and solar. These alternative energy sources are safer, reduce our dependence on volatile global oil markets, and lower energy costs for families."
State Assemblyman Gregg Hart is in Sacramento and has been briefed on the situation. He said, "this incident reminds me and everyone who is concerned about offshore oil drilling how fragile the working environment is with oil off shore and the ever present risk of a disastrous event."
He said with the Coast Guard Marine Protector Class Patrol Ship Blackfin stationed in Santa Barbara, along with the Harbor Patrol and cross training with firefighters, the area is well protected, "but it doesn't obviate the need for scrutiny of offshore oil development from the standpoint of is this worth the risk we're putting in California's multibillion dollar, ocean dependent economy at risk for a very small benefit from oil production that, on platforms that are increasingly getting old and prone to accidents."
The oil platform crew boat Alan T was in the area an assisting.
There was heavy fog in the area. No aircraft were immediately deployed.
Agencies involved in the response Monday included:
- U.S. Coast Guard Southwest District
- U.S. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach
- U.S. Coast Guard Station Channel Islands
- Ventura County Fire Department
- Ventura City Fire Department
- Santa Barbara County Fire Department
- Santa Barbara City Fire Department
- Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
- Marine Spill Response Corporation
