34 Evacuated from Oil Rig in North Sea

Thirty-four people were evacuated from an oil rig in the North Sea after a fire broke out late yesterday.

The Humber Coastguard transferred 34 of 79 crew members to a standby vessel after a report of smoke in the accommodation area at 10:45 p.m. last night, the U.K. Maritime & Coastguard Agency said in a statement on its Web site today. The fire was later put out and the well head has not been affected, the statement said.

The jack-up rig, called Energy Enhancer, is owned by Norwegian drilling company Northern Offshore Ltd. and was operating on the Esmond field as part of an appraisal for Star Energy Group Plc, Barry Hedges, a spokesman for Star Energy, said in a phone interview.

The rig is located 73 miles east of Whitby, northern England.

Author: Jo Amey