Oil rig off Southern California coast catches fire, dozens of workers evacuated, officials say

"Emergency crews were able to safely evacuate the 26 workers on Platform Habitat, an operating oil rig about 9 miles off the shore from Carpenteria, though two minor injuries were reported, according to Petty Officer Kenneth Wiese, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard."

"Images from the scene shared by the U.S. Coast Guard showed firefighting boats blasting streams of water onto the platform, which was shrouded in black and gray smoke around 11:30 a.m. Monday."

"Calls about a fire or possible explosion on Platform Habitat came in around 7 a.m. Monday, Wiese said. The fire was still not under control as of 11:30 a.m."

""There was and is a fire currently on board that's being battled," Wiese said."

A fire broke out on an oil platform off the coast of Southern California early Monday. The incident briefly endangered more than two dozen workers aboard the offshore rig. Emergency crews evacuated all 26 workers from Platform Habitat, an operating oil rig about 9 miles from shore near Carpenteria. Two minor injuries were reported. Firefighting boats sprayed streams of water onto the platform as black and gray smoke covered the area around 11:30 a.m. Calls about a fire or possible explosion were received around 7 a.m. The fire was still not under control by 11:30 a.m. Fire department crews from Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and Coast Guard personnel responded at the scene.

Read at Los Angeles Times