Oil Rig Fire Off Louisiana Coast Kills Two

An offshore oil and natural gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico burst into flames on Friday, killing at least two people and leaving two missing, officials in Louisiana said.

The structure is owned by Black Elk, an energy firm in Houston, according to media reports on local television in Louisiana. Black Elk did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

An official from Jefferson Parish confirmed there were two deaths and two people missing. A Coast Guard official told cable news network CNN that at least six people had been aboard the platform. He said the Coast Guard has search and rescue helicopters en route to the stricken platform.

According to local media reports, the platform produced both oil and natural gas and is located around 17 miles offshore Grand Isle, Louisiana.