Rig blast victim ID’d

By Jeff Moore THE DAILY IBERIAN
Published/Last Modified on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 11:11 AM CDT

GRAND ISLE — A Teche Area man killed in an oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico Saturday has been identified.

Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office officials said Jerry Fitch, 41, of St. Martinville, died in the accident. Coast Guard officials previously stated the man was from New Iberia, but the coroner’s office stated he was from St. Martinville.

A preliminary autopsy showed Fitch died of a neck injury complicated by submersion in water, the coroner’s office said.

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Coast Guard officials responded about 4:30 a.m. Saturday to an explosion and fire on a platform about nine miles south of Grand Isle.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Wilson Moore said Fitch was pulled out of the water near the platform.

Another man from Lafayette was rescued by a crew boat nearby.

Both men were wearing life vests, Moore said.

The Lafayette man was not injured. He was brought back to the Coast Guard station in Grand Isle, evaluated and released.

Moore said the fire was extinguished by offshore supply vessels in the area.

The platform was operated by ATP Oil and Gas Corporation of Houston. Calls to the company were not immediately returned.

Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Andy Sheffield said the investigation has been turned over to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Calls to OSHA were not immediately returned.

Comments

    tommy wrote on May 31, 2009 3:08 PM:

    " what was the cause of the fire "

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