Fire breaks out at chemical plant, prompting evacuations – live updates

May 3, 2018

Law enforcement agencies are telling residents and business within a 5-mile radius of a Louisiana chemical plant to evacuate as an apparent fire broke out Thursday, CBS affiliate KLFY-TV reports. The station notes that both lanes of Interstate 10 from the Lafayette I-49 exit to Crowley are closed.

Videos and pictures submitted to KLFY-TV show massive plumes of smoke that were billowing from the FlowChem Technologies plant located in the town Duson.

Louisiana State Police showed images nearby showing the smoke plume and they urged drivers to avoid the area as emergency crews responded:

#Troopers have closed #I10 near Duson (w/ of #Lafayette) as emergency crews respond to a fire at a chemical facility. As can be seen in the photos the facility is located very close to the #Interstate. Motorists are urged to avoid the area if at all possible while crews respond. pic.twitter.com/a5oU1OwvMk

— LA State Police (@LAStatePolice) May 3, 2018

There was no word of any injuries or cause of the fire, but that the scene is still active.

CBS affiliate WAFB-TV says that witnesses reported hearing multiple explosions.

The plant is located about 16 miles northwest of Lafayette. The company’s website describes the plant as a “specialty oilfield chemical provider that operates across the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. onshore market with blending facilities located at Rayne, Louisiana and Pleasanton, Texas in U.S. and multiple warehouses.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for latest updates.