Multiple injuries have been reported after an explosion at a Louisiana chemical plant. Louisiana State Police say there was an explosion at a plant in the town of Geismar and footage showed thick, black smoke pouring from a huge fire at the facility. The fire broke out Thursday morning around 8:30am at The Williams Companies Inc. plant about 20 miles from Louisiana capital Baton Rouge.
Explosion: A fire started by an explosion broke out at a Louisiana chemical plant Thursday. The plant's website says it produces 1.3 billion pounds of ethylene and 90 million pounds of propylene a year
A neighboring plant told
WAFB that Williams Olefin has a hydrocarbon fire that continues to rage uncontrolled. One area hospital, Our Lady of the Lake, reportedly took on five victims of the explosion. Other hospitals took on the injured, but have not reported any numbers. No deaths have been reported.
The Williams Company announced around 11:30am that emergency shutdown valves have been closed and the fire has been 'greatly diminished.'
They said the safety of their employees and that of the rescue workers was their greatest concern. The company's website says the plant puts out about 1.3 billion pounds of ethylene and 90 million pounds of polymer grade propylene a year. The plant makes highly flammable gases that are basic building blocks in the petrochemical industry.
In "1 dead, 77 hurt in Louisiana chemical plant blast " here: _[Link]:
"The explosion at 8:37 a.m. prompted the evacuation of about 300 workers, Jindal said. About 10 workers were sent to a safe room to start shutting down parts of the plant according to the emergency response plan, he said."
"The fire... burned for more than three hours..."
“That is what is supposed to be happening - that's how they are burning off the excess chemicals,” Jindal said, adding that he had conferred with environmental regulators who had “not seen anything of concern.”
“What you're seeing on the stack - it's supposed to do that, it's something people in this area are used to,” he said.
Really? 1 dead, 77 hurt. "People in this area", also known known as “Bhopal on the bayou" or "Cancer Valley” are used to?