On 4 December 2015, a deadly fire broke out in the northern part of platform No. 10 at the western section of the Gunashli oilfield operated by SOCAR.[2][3] The fire started, according to SOCAR, when a high-pressure subsea gas pipeline was damaged in a heavy storm.[2][4][5] As a result of the fire, the platform, which had been in service since 1984, partially collapsed.[6][7][8] Fire spread to several oil and gas wells.[9][7][8] Production at all 28 wells (24 oil wells and 4 gas wells)[7] connected to the platform was suspended, pipelines connecting the platform to the shore were closed, and electricity to the platform was cut off.[8][6] Before the accident, the platform produced 920 tonnes of oil and 1.08 million cubic metres (38 million cubic feet) of gas per day.[7][10] About 60% of the oil produced by SOCAR was transported through this platform.[6]
At the time of the accident, 63 workers were on the platform.[8] According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan, 12 workers are confirmed killed, 18 are still missing (as of December 2017), 33 were rescued; and nine were hospitalized.[11][12] According to SOCAR, people went missing when a life boat with 34 people on board fell from the platform into the sea and was damaged after hitting piles of the platform.[5][8] On 5 December, the Prosecutor General's Office launched a criminal investigation into the possible violation of fire safety rules.[5][13] President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed an Order declaring 6 December 2015 a day of mourning for those who died in the incident.[14]