14 Injured in Fire on Petrobras Platform Off Rio Coast

A fire broke out on Petrobras’ Cherne 1 platform (PCH-1), located in the Campos Basin approximately 130 kilometers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, injuring 14 workers.

Initially, the state-run energy company reported that only one contractor had suffered minor burns and remained conscious. However, the number of injuries later increased to 14. One of the injured reportedly fell into the sea during the incident but was later rescued and taken to hospital in stable condition.

Petrobras confirmed that the other 13 injured individuals are also receiving medical treatment at a local hospital.

According to Sergio Borges Cordeiro, general coordinator of the Northern Fluminense Oil Workers Union and director at the United Oil Workers Federation, there were 176 personnel on board the platform at the time. Cherne 1 has not been in active oil production since 2020.

Petrobras stated that the rest of the crew remained safe following the incident, which occurred on Monday. The company has announced plans to form a commission to investigate the cause of the fire, which remains unknown at this time.

Cordeiro shared further updates via social media, noting that gas flow on the platform had been halted and communications were temporarily lost. Emergency support vessels were deployed to assist the response effort.

According to Brazil’s National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels, there were 731 reported accidents related to oil and gas operations in the country in 2024, resulting in 183 injuries—78 classified as serious—and one fatality.