The Region - News from April 3, 1986

Two workmen were killed and two others were injured when a high-pressure pipe exploded on an offshore oil island in Long Beach. The three-inch nitrogen line, under 2,100 pounds of pressure, burst at a coupling on Island Freeman, close to shore inside the Long Beach-Los Angeles Harbor, Long Beach fire dispatcher John Lendstrom said. “When the pipe burst, it whipped around and hit the men nearby,” he said. Steven Lowe, in his 20s, of Huntington Beach died at the scene. Steven Linn, 28, of Anaheim died at St. Mary Medical Center. Injured were Mike Coleman, 28, of Lakewood, who had a chest bruise, and Harold Smith, 34, of Westminster, who suffered a broken right leg. Both were treated and released, the hospital said. The accident occurred on the THUMS platform, a cooperative effort of Texaco, Humble, Union, Marathon and Standard oil companies. The cause is under investigation, Lendstrom said.