DARYN KAGAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A look back at this day in CNN's history.</s>JOHN DONOVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The plume of smoke from the red core of Piper Alpha stretched for miles. The fire had had hours to burn and to kill hopes that anyone left on the platform or even near it would still be alive. The ones who did survive were mostly rescued in the first stages of the disaster, when it was still dark. Many of them has to be carried into hospital emergency rooms. Their burns had crippled them. Most of the survivors had been awaked on ship when the explosion took place. Unlike their sleeping comrades, they at least had time to get off the platform and into the water.</s>DEREK ELLINGTON, SURVIVOR: I see it banging and banging and banging, and disintegrate and melting with heat.</s>DONOVAN: A group of NATO ships that had been on patrol in the area joined helicopters in trying to rescue men from the water. Two rescuers were added to the list of missing when their boat was caught in the flames. The British government has ordered an investigation into why this happened, while the platforms owner, the U.S.-based Occidental Petroleum Company offered a concise account.</s>JOHN BRADING, CEO, OCCIDENTAL BRIT. PC: It would appear that the first explosion concurred due to an escape of gas in the C-module.</s>DONOVAN (on camera): This is, by no means, the first accident out on the North Sea rigs. Over the past week alone, there was an explosion on a second rig, a fire on a third, and over the past 20 years, something close to 300 men have died trying to bring up the oil. But the accident at the Piper Alfa rig, so far, has been the worst. John Donovan, CNN, Aberdeen, Scotland.
CNN 20: North Sea Oil Rig Explodes, July 6, 1988