“The explosion resulted in the death of 40-year-old Joshua Nichols of Lake Charles … The pipelines have been blocked, and one remains on fire, burning the remaining natural gas in the line,” the Louisiana State Police said in a statement earlier on Monday.
A preliminary investigation revealed that Nichols was operating a mud boat near a natural gas pipeline. For reasons still under investigation, an explosion and fire occurred while Nichols was believed to be working on the pipeline, according to police.
“Mr. Nichols was a contractor for Petroleum Co-Ordinators Inc,” Louisiana State Police told Reuters in an emailed statement. “Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders received a report of an explosion and fire, Saturday evening, near South Pass, Louisiana,” the U.S. Coast Guard said in an email on Monday.
“The Coast Guard launched a Coast Guard Station Venice boatcrew and a Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans aircrew to search,” it added.
Source: usnews.com