Three Workers Die in Catastrophic Fire on Angola’s Deepwater Oil Platform
Angola’s oil sector is under intense scrutiny following a deadly fire that claimed three lives and left several workers critically injured on the Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco platform in May. The deepwater facility, operated by Chevron subsidiary Cabinda Gulf Oil Company (Cabgoc) in Block 14 off Cabinda’s coast, experienced a devastating blaze on its subsurface deck.
The incident initially injured 17 people, with four in critical condition. All injured workers were airlifted to South Africa for medical treatment, but three ultimately succumbed to their injuries despite intensive care efforts.
Angola’s Inspector General of Labor, Manuel Bole, has expressed grave concern over safety conditions in the country’s oil sector, announcing that the industry is now under “close monitoring.” He revealed that inspectors faced significant challenges accessing the accident site in the immediate aftermath, stating, “It was very difficult for us at the General Inspectorate of Labor to obtain data in the early stages.”
The tragedy occurred in an area believed to be deactivated, with work teams fatally assuming no hazardous materials were present. André Capita, Secretary-General of the Cabinda Oil and Related Industry Workers Union, criticized the frequency of oil sector accidents, calling them “alarmingly frequent.”
A new phase of the national Decent Work operation will be launched with renewed focus on oil industry practices, as Angola seeks to maintain its position as a major oil producer while addressing urgent safety protocol gaps.
Source: angolanminingoilandgas.com
