The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(NEW ORLEANS) — The Coast Guard is responding to a report of a platform fire near Breton Island on Friday.
Watch standers at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report at 2:50 a.m. from the offshore supply vessel Miss Katherine reporting a fire on board an oil production platform in Breton Sound Block 21. All 28 people aboard the platform were evacuated to the offshore supply vessel and were taken to Venice. No injuries were reported.
The well was shut in and production has ceased. The platform has an estimated 4,000 barrels of crude oil on board in storage tanks.
The Coast Guard has conducted an overflight and observed a 1.4 nautical mile rainbow sheen drifting southwest of the platform.
An incident command post has been established with the responsible party and state/local stakeholders.
Initial response vessels are on scene with additional vessels en route.
A small boat crew from Coast Guard Station Venice is on scene, as well as an HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed-wing aircraft crew from Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
