Seven injured after offshore accident

BALIKPAPAN, East Kalimantan: At least seven employees of the UNOCAL oil company in Balikpapan suffered from burns after a fire stated on one of its offshore oil rigs on Saturday.

The oil and gas rig, the Attaka, was located about 270 kilometers north of Balikpapan, the biggest town in East Kalimantan province.

All of the victims were evacuated to Pertamina Hospital in Balikpapan.

Company spokesman Ario Dewayanto said on Tuesday the incident happened when the employees were doing maintenance work on a compressor at the rig.

"The compressor suddenly caught fire, but the fire was put out quickly. The seven injured people were evacuated by using a helicopter," he said.

The company stopped operations on the rig after the accident and it was not known when they would resume.

The offshore rig started production in 1972. The accident was its first, the company said. -- JP