Investigation Begins into Thistle Alpha Fire

An investigation is to be launched into a massive fire which broke out on a North Sea oil rig shutting down production.

Workers on the Thistle Alpha oil installation, owned by Swedish independent Lundin Petroleum, were evacuated by helicopters after a fire broke out in a turbine module at about 8.00am GMT yesterday morning.

Duty holders Petrofac says 53 of the 116 non-essential personnel who were down manned to the nearby Murchison and Dunlin platforms have now returned to the Thistle Alpha with no injuries reported.

The UK Government's Health and Safety Executive, along with Petrofac, is to carry out an investigation.

The Thistle Alpha installation is located approximately 523km north-east of Aberdeen, Scotland.

By staff writer