New oil tanker catches fire, rescues driver, rescuers say

The pilot of a new oil tanker that caught fire while en route to the Gulf Coast has rescued a driver and is on his way to Florida, authorities said.

The U.S. Coast Guard said Monday the tanker, an oil tanker with a capacity of 100,000 barrels of oil, was en route from New Orleans to Corpus Christi, Texas, when it began to smoke and caught fire at around 6:30 p.m. in the Houston area.

The Coast Guard responded to the scene and began taking control of the tanker while the pilot and other crew members fought the blaze.

The pilot was taken to an area hospital where he was listed in good condition.

The driver was treated and released, the Coast Guard reported.

The oil tanker was a new type of tanker.

The Coast Guard has been training in oil tankers to handle the hazardous environment of offshore drilling, oil storage and oil-rig handling.

The fire is under investigation.