Louisiana: Two fires at oil refineries thought to be accidental

Fire broke out at two oil refineries less than two miles apart early Tuesday.

The fires at the ExxonMobil Refinery in Chalmette and the Murphy Oil Refinery, about a mile and a half away, appear to be accidental, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

Neither fire appeared to be related and no significant injuries were reported, he said.

A spokeswoman for the ExxonMobil facility said the fire appeared to have been caused by a pump failure. Stephens said the Murphy refinery’s fire apparently ignited in a system that breaks down crude oil into heavy fuel.

Colorado: Mountain peak named for shuttle Columbia

A 13,980-foot mountain peak in Colorado has been named in honor of the space shuttle Columbia. The mountain peak, in Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains, was named “Columbia Point” in a ceremony Tuesday at the Interior Department in Washington.

The peak is one of three in the mountain range that commemorates American explorers of the past and present. One peak honors the 19th century western explorer Kit Carson. The northwest peak is named in honor of the space shuttle Challenger, which exploded after liftoff on January 28, 1986. Challenger Point and Columbia Point are both of the same height.

Florida: Mars rover launched

NASA on Tuesday launched the first of two golf-cart-size rovers that will ramble across the rocky, red soil of Mars and drill for evidence that the Red Planet once had enough water to support life.

The rover, named Spirit, lifted off aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket on the seven-month journey to Mars.

Thunderstorms delayed the launch two days in a row, and officials also had to contend with a last-minute communications glitch with the ground tracking stations.

The second rover, named Opportunity, will be launched later this month, and both are expected to arrive at Mars in January.

Florida: Drowning toll at 9 after 2 hospital deaths

The drowning toll from a weekend of stormy weather that churned the surf along the beaches of the Florida Panhandle rose to nine Tuesday.

The toll included two deaths at a hospital Tuesday and one Sunday that was not initially disclosed by hospital officials.

Two other swimmers remained hospitalized Tuesday, one on life support and the other in fair condition, said Walton County Sheriff’s spokesman Dennis Wise.

Officials said hundreds of people swam Sunday and Monday despite red flags warning them to keep out of the water, where wind-whipped waves created dangerous riptides.