Piper Alpha Disaster

The Piper Alpha disaster was a catastrophic explosion on an oil platform in the North Sea in 1988. It was caused by a failure in safety procedures, leading to a gas leak and a subsequent explosion, which quickly destroyed the platform. The disaster resulted in the deaths of 167 workers, making it one of the worst offshore oil accidents in history. It highlighted the importance of rigorous safety standards and procedures in industrial operations, prompting widespread changes in offshore safety regulations worldwide.