NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - An oil and gas platform operated by Mariner Energy burst into flames in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday, but the crew of 13 escaped and there were no signs of an oil spill, the Coast Guard said. (feeds.reuters.com)

HATTERAS ISLAND, North Carolina (Reuters) - Hurricane Earl began to strafe North Carolina's barrier islands with dangerous surf and winds on Thursday as it spun parallel to the U.S. East Coast on a northward trek toward New England and Canada. (feeds.reuters.com)

The storm closed in on North Carolina Thursday evening, pelting the state with rain and wind as towns braced for Earl’s devastating force. (feeds.nytimes.com)

The Coast Guard is backing off its earlier report that an oil sheen about a mile long was spreading following a platform explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. (www.newsvine.com)

An oil platform exploded and caught fire Thursday off the Louisiana coast, spreading a mile-long oil sheen into the Gulf of Mexico. All 13 crew members were rescued. (www.newsvine.com)

An oil platform exploded and burned off the Louisiana coast Thursday, the second such disaster in the Gulf of Mexico in less than five months. This time, the Coast Guard said there was no leak, and no one was killed. (www.newsvine.com)

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Tropical-storm force winds are expected to reach the North Carolina coast by Thursday afternoon, with hurricane-force winds expected to arrive near North Carolina's Outer Banks tonight, the National Hurricane Center said. (feeds.wsjonline.com)

An offshore oil rig has exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, west of the site of the April blast that caused a massive oil spill. Gulf of Mexico - Oil spill - Oil platform - Environment - Energy (pheedo.msnbc.msn.com)

GRAND ISLE, La. (AP) — An offshore oil rig has exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, west of the site of the April blast that caused the massive oil spill. (feeds.chicagotribune.com)

An offshore oil rig has exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, west of the site of the April blast that caused a massive oil spill. Gulf of Mexico - Oil spill - Energy - Environment - Petroleum in the Environment (pheedo.msnbc.msn.com)

BUXTON, N.C. — Hurricane Earl packed winds near 140 mph as it blew toward North Carolina on Thursday, putting the Eastern Seaboard up to Maine on alert for a Labor Day weekend pounding by waves, gales and rain. A hurricane warning for the tip of Massachusetts, including Nantucket and Martha... (www.nypost.com)

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By 2010-09-02T15:43:07Z GRAND ISLE, La. (AP) -- An offshore oil rig has exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, west of the site of the April blast that caused the massive oil spill.... (hosted.ap.org)

An offshore petroleum platform exploded and was burning Thursday in the Gulf of Mexico about 80 miles off the Louisiana coast, west of the site where BP's undersea well spilled after a rig explosion. (www.newsvine.com)

HOUSTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard was flying helicopters to a possible offshore drilling rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, a Coast Guard spokesman said. (feeds.reuters.com)

The U.S. Coast Guard was responding Thursday to reports of a rig explosion off the coast of Grand Isle, La., WWL-TV in New Orleans reported. Rescue helicopters from New Orleans and Houston were responding to the scene south of Vermillion Bay, the report said. CBS Radio News reported the... (www.nypost.com)

MIAMI (AP) — A hurricane warning is out for part of the Massachusetts coast including Nantucket as Earl bears down on the Eastern Seaboard. (feeds.chicagotribune.com)

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Most Tourists in North Carolina Flee Storm but Some Residents Brace for Impact   2010 Storm Tracker (feeds.cbsnews.com)

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HATTERAS ISLAND, North Carolina (Reuters) - Hurricane Earl gained more punch on Thursday as the large storm churned up the Atlantic threatening the U.S. East Coast with dangerous winds and large swells and forcing evacuations in North Carolina. (feeds.reuters.com)

Hurricane Earl blew toward the Eastern Seaboard on Thursday as a major storm with winds of around 145 mph as forecasters tried to pinpoint exactly how close the strongest gales and heaviest surge would get to North Carolina's fragile chain of barrier islands. (www.newsvine.com)

Hurricane Earl swept toward the Outer Banks of North Carolina early Thursday as hurricane warnings and watches stretched to Delaware and parts of Massachusetts. (rss.cnn.com)

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Obama Declares Emergency in North Carolina; Category 4 Storm's Expected Landfall Late Thursday or Early Friday   2010 Storm Tracker (feeds.cbsnews.com)