On January 8, 1987, the Piper Alpha oil rig in the North Sea exploded, killing 167 workers. The explosion occurred after a safety valve failure and was worsened by inadequate emergency procedures. It remains one of the deadliest offshore oil rig disasters in history. Most of the victims were oil rig workers, but the blast caused severe environmental damage as well. The tragedy led to a reevaluation of safety standards in the oil industry worldwide.