3 dead in Angola oil platform fire

LUSAKA, Zambia

Two workers injured a week ago in an oil platform fire off Angola have died from the burns they suffered, raising the toll to three, the country's Ministry of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas said Tuesday.

The first died on May 24 and the second on Tuesday, the ministry said, adding they had been receiving medical treatment in South Africa.

"The fire occurred while the platform was undergoing scheduled maintenance. A total of 17 people were injured. Authorities are working to recover a body spotted underwater near the platform," it added.

The fire broke out on May 20 at Chevron’s Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco (BBLT) deepwater platform operated by gas consortium CABGOC, an affiliate of Chevron.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to a report on the incident by the Angolan National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels.