10. A Small Leak: Piper Alpha Oil Rig
On July 6, 1988, the Piper Alpha oil rig in the North Sea experienced a gas leak due to a minor maintenance oversight. A pump was left running after a routine shutdown, causing a pressure build-up and subsequent explosion. The disaster resulted in the loss of 167 lives and remains one of the deadliest offshore oil rig accidents in history. For more details, refer to the BBC’s report on the Piper Alpha disaster. (bbc.com)
