Oil spews
© Assumption Parish SheriffOil spews out of a well Wednesday in Assumption Parish near Paincourtville.

Paincourtville - A blown-out well in Assumption Parish was spewing oil and gas nearly 200 feet into the air Wednesday, and it could be 10 days before crews can cap it, officials said.

Assumption Parish sheriff's deputies responded to a 3:30 a.m. complaint Wednesday of oil and gas spewing onto the road, said Assumption Sheriff Mike Waguespack.

Waguespack said no one was injured in the blowout, and State Police are investigating.

Deputies evacuated residents from six nearby homes and shut down a two-mile stretch of La. 70 between La. 1 and La. 996, Waguespack said.

The highway will remain closed and evacuated residents will not be allowed to return until after the well is capped.

Motorists should detour via La. 996 to La. 1000 to La. 1.

Three of the evacuated homes were on Joe Dugas Road, and three were houses near No Problem Raceway Park.

Paul Cartwright, manager of No Problem Raceway Park, is also a resident at the track and was told to evacuate the area in the afternoon.

Cartwright said he was told it might be three days or as many as 10 before he would be allowed to return.

"I guess we'll just be sitting here," said Cartwright, who is staying at a hotel in Donaldsonville.

The State Police and the Assumption Sheriff's Office have set up a joint command center near the site. Waguespack said a hazardous materials team is using water and fire-prevention equipment on the oil and gas while a crew tries to cap the well, which sits in the middle of a sugar cane field. He also said cleanup crews are working to contain the oil and prevent it from spreading outside the half-mile circular perimeter officials have set up. Air monitors have been deployed and are testing air inside and outside the perimeter. Waguespack said they might extend the closed-off area if they get dangerous readings beyond the current perimeter.

Mantle Oil and Gas of Friendswood, Texas, is the well operator, and Cajun Well Services of Breaux Bridge was contracted to finish the well, which began drilling in June.