NEW ORLEANS — Rescuers searched waters off Louisiana's coast Wednesday after an explosion and fire on an offshore drilling platform left seven workers badly hurt and 11 missing.
Most of the 126 people were believed to have escaped safely after the explosion on the rig Deepwater Horizon at about 10 p.m. Tuesday, Coast Guard Senior Chief Petty Officer Mike O'Berry said. The rig, about 52 miles southeast of Venice on Louisiana's tip, was listing about 10 degrees and still burning Wednesday morning.
"It's burning pretty good and there's no estimate on when the fire will be put out," O'Berry said.
Seven workers were reported critically injured, Coast Guard Lt. Sue Kerver said. Two were taken to a trauma center in Mobile, Ala., where there is a burn unit, but the nature of their injuries was unclear, she said. At least two were taken to a suburban New Orleans hospital.
O'Berry said many workers who escaped the rig were being brought to land on a workboat while authorities searched the Gulf of Mexico for any signs of lifeboats.
"We're hoping everyone's in a life raft," he said.
The rig was drilling but was not in production, according to Greg Panagos, spokesman for its owner, Transocean Ltd., in Houston. The rig was under contract to BP PLC. BP spokesman Darren Beaudo said all BP personnel were safe but he didn't know how many BP workers had been on the rig.
Kerver said the Coast Guard and the Minerals Management Service will work together to investigate possible causes of the accident.
"It's still too early to tell the cause," Panagos said. "Our focus right now is on taking care of the people."
O'Berry said Coast Guard environmental teams were on standby in Morgan City, La., to assess any environmental damage once the fire was out.
According to Transocean's website, the Deepwater Horizon is 396 feet long and 256 feet wide. The semi-submersible rig was built in 2001 by Hyundai Heavy Industries Shipyard in South Korea. The site is known as the Macondo prospect, in 5,000 feet of water.
The rig is designed to operate in water depths up to 8,000 feet and has a maximum drill depth of about 5.5 miles. It can accommodate a crew of up to 130.
A semi-submersible rig is floated to a drilling site. It has pontoons and a column that submerge when flooded with seawater. The rig doesn't touch the sea floor, but sits low with a large portion of the structure under water. It is moored by several large anchors.
The Coast Guard said a next-of-kin hot line has been set up.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Toyota's Problems Continue regarding potentially Defective Cars
Residents of an apartment building in northeast Dallas were without homes late Wednesday when flames swept the two-story structure.
The fire was reported at 8:45 p.m. at the Knob Oaks Apartments, 9170 Forest Lane, said Jason Evans, spokesman for Dallas Fire-Rescue.
"When firefighters first arrived, they could see lots of fire coming from the first floor," Evans said. "They initially moved in for an offensive attack, but when the fire began to breach the roof, they put a third alarm on it and positioned themselves defensively."
One person who was treated for minor smoke inhalation declined to go to the hospital, Evans said. No other injuries were reported.
The number of people displaced by the fire was unclear late Wednesday, but all eight units in the building were "uninhabitable," Evans said. The American Red Cross, he added, was summoned to help the people.
The cause of the fire was still under investigation Thursday.
The fire was reported at 8:45 p.m. at the Knob Oaks Apartments, 9170 Forest Lane, said Jason Evans, spokesman for Dallas Fire-Rescue.
"When firefighters first arrived, they could see lots of fire coming from the first floor," Evans said. "They initially moved in for an offensive attack, but when the fire began to breach the roof, they put a third alarm on it and positioned themselves defensively."
One person who was treated for minor smoke inhalation declined to go to the hospital, Evans said. No other injuries were reported.
The number of people displaced by the fire was unclear late Wednesday, but all eight units in the building were "uninhabitable," Evans said. The American Red Cross, he added, was summoned to help the people.
The cause of the fire was still under investigation Thursday.
Fire at Apartment Complex
Residents of an apartment building in northeast Dallas were without homes late Wednesday when flames swept the two-story structure.
The fire was reported at 8:45 p.m. at the Knob Oaks Apartments, 9170 Forest Lane, said Jason Evans, spokesman for Dallas Fire-Rescue.
"When firefighters first arrived, they could see lots of fire coming from the first floor," Evans said. "They initially moved in for an offensive attack, but when the fire began to breach the roof, they put a third alarm on it and positioned themselves defensively."
One person who was treated for minor smoke inhalation declined to go to the hospital, Evans said. No other injuries were reported.
The number of people displaced by the fire was unclear late Wednesday, but all eight units in the building were "uninhabitable," Evans said. The American Red Cross, he added, was summoned to help the people.
The cause of the fire was still under investigation Thursday.
The fire was reported at 8:45 p.m. at the Knob Oaks Apartments, 9170 Forest Lane, said Jason Evans, spokesman for Dallas Fire-Rescue.
"When firefighters first arrived, they could see lots of fire coming from the first floor," Evans said. "They initially moved in for an offensive attack, but when the fire began to breach the roof, they put a third alarm on it and positioned themselves defensively."
One person who was treated for minor smoke inhalation declined to go to the hospital, Evans said. No other injuries were reported.
The number of people displaced by the fire was unclear late Wednesday, but all eight units in the building were "uninhabitable," Evans said. The American Red Cross, he added, was summoned to help the people.
The cause of the fire was still under investigation Thursday.
Lawyer Sentenced in Austin Travis County for Lewd Gesture
AUSTIN — An Austin defense attorney serving 90 days for making a lewd gesture in court will not spend the entire time in jail.
Adam Reposa will be released Feb. 12 and allowed to serve the remainder of his sentence at home and as part of a work release program.
Senior State District Judge Paul Davis on Wednesday also ordered Reposa to attend all medical appointments with his pregnant girlfriend.
Several judges testified as character witnesses for Reposa, condemning his March 2008 gesture simulating masturbation before County Court-at-Law Judge Jan Breland while representing a client. Breland found Reposa in contempt of court, a finding that Davis affirmed.
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected appeals for Reposa.
Reposa, who said the gesture was meant toward a prosecutor, reported to jail Tuesday.
Adam Reposa will be released Feb. 12 and allowed to serve the remainder of his sentence at home and as part of a work release program.
Senior State District Judge Paul Davis on Wednesday also ordered Reposa to attend all medical appointments with his pregnant girlfriend.
Several judges testified as character witnesses for Reposa, condemning his March 2008 gesture simulating masturbation before County Court-at-Law Judge Jan Breland while representing a client. Breland found Reposa in contempt of court, a finding that Davis affirmed.
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected appeals for Reposa.
Reposa, who said the gesture was meant toward a prosecutor, reported to jail Tuesday.
One Killed, One Injured in Williamson County Austin Texas Car Wreck
One man was killed and another person was injured in a head-on collision early this morning on Texas 29 on mile west of Liberty Hill in Williamson County.
Casey Armendariz, 18, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 2 a.m. crash, a spokeswoman with the Department of Public Safety said today.
Gabrielle Marie Urton, 21, was driving east on the highway when he crossed into westbound traffic for unknown reasons and struck a car Armendariz was a passenger in, the spokeswoman said.
Urton was taken to Seton Medical Center Williamson with cuts on his face, the official said. The driver of the other car, whom officials did not identify, had no major injuries, she said.
All involved in the crash were wearing seat belts, the spokeswoman said.
Casey Armendariz, 18, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 2 a.m. crash, a spokeswoman with the Department of Public Safety said today.
Gabrielle Marie Urton, 21, was driving east on the highway when he crossed into westbound traffic for unknown reasons and struck a car Armendariz was a passenger in, the spokeswoman said.
Urton was taken to Seton Medical Center Williamson with cuts on his face, the official said. The driver of the other car, whom officials did not identify, had no major injuries, she said.
All involved in the crash were wearing seat belts, the spokeswoman said.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Lewisville Man Dies in Motorcycle Accident Wreck
A 22-year-old Lewisville man died Thursday night after he crashed his motorcycle into a SUV at a high rate of speed, police said.
The crash occurred in a residential neighborhood just west of the Vista Ridge mall, police said.
Craig Bishop was pronounced dead at Medical Center of Lewisville shortly after the 7:30 p.m. crash. A female passenger on the motorcycle was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, where she is being treated for broken bones and internal injuries, a Lewisville police spokesman said Friday.
According to police, Bishop was southbound in the 2700 block of Rockbrook Drive when he struck the driver’s side door of a Nissan Pathfinder at the intersection with Crestview Point. The SUV was attempting to turn left from Crestview onto northbound Rockbrook Drive, police said.
Though the crash was still under investigation Friday morning, witnesses said the motorcycle was traveling at a high-rate of speed just before the collision.
Four occupants of the Nissan were taken to Medical Center of Lewisville for precautionary reasons, police said.
The crash occurred in a residential neighborhood just west of the Vista Ridge mall, police said.
Craig Bishop was pronounced dead at Medical Center of Lewisville shortly after the 7:30 p.m. crash. A female passenger on the motorcycle was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, where she is being treated for broken bones and internal injuries, a Lewisville police spokesman said Friday.
According to police, Bishop was southbound in the 2700 block of Rockbrook Drive when he struck the driver’s side door of a Nissan Pathfinder at the intersection with Crestview Point. The SUV was attempting to turn left from Crestview onto northbound Rockbrook Drive, police said.
Though the crash was still under investigation Friday morning, witnesses said the motorcycle was traveling at a high-rate of speed just before the collision.
Four occupants of the Nissan were taken to Medical Center of Lewisville for precautionary reasons, police said.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Chupacabra?
Possible chupacabra carcass sparks intrigue
An unidentified animal that some say may be the legendary chupacabra — a mysterious animal that roams rural areas of Mexico and Texas and sucks the blood from livestock — was found last week in Runaway Bay. Whatever it is — mongrel dog? Hairless raccoon? — it’s lighting up news Web sites and social media. According to reports, a worker at Runaway Bay Golf Course found the creepy carcass and took it to a biologist in nearby Bridgeport, and she reportedly had no idea what it was.
An unidentified animal that some say may be the legendary chupacabra — a mysterious animal that roams rural areas of Mexico and Texas and sucks the blood from livestock — was found last week in Runaway Bay. Whatever it is — mongrel dog? Hairless raccoon? — it’s lighting up news Web sites and social media. According to reports, a worker at Runaway Bay Golf Course found the creepy carcass and took it to a biologist in nearby Bridgeport, and she reportedly had no idea what it was.
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