May 28 (Reuters) - A second person died from their

injuries in hospital following a fire at a Chevron ( CVX )-operated oil

platform offshore Angola, bringing the number of fatalities to

three, government and company officials said late on Tuesday.

Two workers were initially transferred to specialist units

at hospitals in South Africa, while the body of a third worker

is yet to be retrieved from the ocean and identified, officials

added.

Seventeen people were injured, four seriously, when the fire

started at the deep-water Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco (BBLT)

platform in the early morning hours of May 20.

A government source told Reuters the accident occurred in

the same week that the U.S. oil major was set to resume

operations following a scheduled annual maintenance shutdown at

BBLT, which produced its first oil in 2006.

Chevron's ( CVX ) Angolan business, Cabinda Gulf Oil Company, did

not confirm the expected return-to-service date, saying it did

not comment on operational matters as investigations into the

cause of the fire continue.