Leaking Oil Rig Bursts Into Flames

An oil rig has burst into flames off the coast of Australia sparking fears it will cause devastating environmental damage.

The West Atlas platform burst into flames on Sunday while a fifth attempt was being made to plug a leak using heavy mud.

The Australian government has launched an inquiry into how the rig caught fire, ten weeks after it started leaking oil into the Timor Sea.

No-one was injured, and all workers have been evacuated, but huge flames are shooting into the air.

Officials from PTT Exploration and Production say they cannot extinguish it while it's been fed by leaking gas.

The oil leak began on August 21, with up to 400 barrels of oil a day spewing into the sea, 150 miles from the northwest Australian coast.

Only the fact that it is so far offshore has prevented pollution showing up on beaches, but environmental experts say it's having a devastating impact on marine and wildlife.

"There are many unanswered questions, including how the fire started," said PTTEP Chief Financial Officer Jose Martins.

Paul Gamblin, from the pressure group WWF, said: "The fire itself could cause considerable environmental damage.

"Ultimately the rig itself could collapse into the ocean."

Australia's Resources Minister Martin Ferguson announced a full and independent inquiry into the cause of the incident. He said the government is "deeply concerned".

Opposition spokesman Greg Hunt said a national emergency taskforce should be established.

"We've had ten weeks of drift and complacency. Now we have a genuine national environmental emergency," he said.

 Source: Yahoo - Sky News

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