Red Adair was a famous oil well firefighter who made his name by extinguishing and capping some of the most dangerous and spectacular oil well blowouts in history. He was a pioneer in his field and a hero to many people who admired his courage and skill. But how did he die and what was his legacy?
Natural Causes at 89
According to NBC News, Red Adair died of natural causes at a Houston hospital on Saturday, August 7, 2004. He was 89 years old. His daughter, Robyn Adair, confirmed his death to the Associated Press. She said that her father had been in good health until recently and that he had no regrets about his life.
Red Adair had a long and illustrious career that spanned more than six decades. He started working in the oil industry after World War II, where he served in a bomb disposal unit. He learned the techniques of oil well firefighting from Myron Kinley, the original pioneer of the profession. In 1959, he founded his own company, Red Adair Co. Inc., and became famous for his innovative and daring methods of controlling oil well fires.
A Global Reputation
Red Adair and his crew fought more than 2,000 oil well fires around the world, both on land and offshore. He gained global attention in 1962 when he tackled a fire at the Gassi Touil gas field in the Algerian Sahara nicknamed the Devil’s Cigarette Lighter, a 450-foot pillar of flame that burned for more than five months. He used explosives to snuff out the fire, a technique that he had mastered over the years.
Red Adair also handled some of the most challenging and high-profile oil well disasters in history, such as the Piper Alpha platform explosion in the North Sea in 1987, which killed 167 people and caused billions of dollars in damage. He and his crew managed to cap the biggest oil well blowout in the North Sea at the time, saving millions of barrels of oil and preventing an environmental catastrophe.
Perhaps his most famous mission was in 1991, when he was hired by the Kuwaiti government to put out the hundreds of oil wells that were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops during the Persian Gulf War. He and his team worked tirelessly for nine months to extinguish and cap the fires, which were spewing toxic smoke and oil into the air. He celebrated his 76th birthday on the battlefield, wearing his trademark red overalls and swinging valves in place.
A Lasting Legacy
Red Adair retired in 1994 and sold his company to Global Industries Ltd., a Louisiana-based offshore construction firm. He remained active as a consultant and an adviser until his death. He received numerous awards and honors for his achievements, including an honorary doctorate from Texas A&M University and a medal from President George H.W. Bush. He was also the inspiration for a movie starring John Wayne called “Hellfighters” in 1968.
Red Adair left behind a lasting legacy as a leader and a legend in his field. He revolutionized the science and art of oil well firefighting and trained many of his successors who continue to carry on his work. He was admired for his bravery, skill, professionalism, and charisma. He once said: “It scares you: all the noise, the rattling, the shaking. But the look on everybody’s face when you’re finished and packing, it’s the best smile in the world; and there’s nobody hurt, and the well’s under control.”
