Louisiana - Chemical plant burning in Geismar

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Chemical plant burning in Geismar

Published: 10:33 am Updated: 10:37 am

GEISMAR, La. (AP) - Firefighters and state police hazardous materials units have been called to a chemical plant fire along the Mississippi River south of Baton Rouge.

The fire broke out shortly after 8 a.m. CDT Thursday at the Westlake Vinyls chemical plant on Louisiana Highway 73 in the Ascension Parish community of Geismar.

State police said an explosion may have set off the blaze. There were no reports of injuries, said Ami Johnson, spokeswoman for the Ascension Parish emergency office.

Trooper Russell Graham said officials had received reports of the release of the chemical vinyl chloride, but it was unclear how much may have been released. The plant produces poly vinyl chloride resin, Graham said.

The chemical is flammable and highly toxic.

More...
http://www.fox8live.com/news/local/...urning-in-Geismar/UVt97WS8t0iYAV-8_FcMqw.cspx

 

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Re: Louisiana - Chemical plant burning in Geismar

Officials investigate explosion at chemical plant

wwltv.com
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:35 AM
Updated today at 11:13 AM
...
State police spokesman Russell Graham said it wasn't clear how much of the chemical was released, but a small cloud was hovering over the plant. A handful of residents living in the heavily industrial area were advised to stay indoors, keep doors and windows closed and turn off air conditioning units. Other plants in the area were advised to do likewise.

"This is an industrial area," Graham said. "You're talking several plants."

The plant's owner, Houston-based Westlake Chemical Corp., said the blast occurred about 8 a.m. during the restarting of a vinyl chloride monomer unit. State police said the fire was out by 9:20 a.m. Vinyl chloride monomers are used is for the manufacture of polymer, which is used to make plastic products.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that vinyl chloride is a known cancer-causing substance in humans.
...
Air monitoring units were dispatched to the area to monitor pollution, Graham said. Several major roads were blocked in the area to all but emergency traffic, Graham said.

Full text + video:
http://www.wwltv.com/news/Chemical-plant-burning-in-Geismar-143812786.html

 

[Emily]

Re: Louisiana - Chemical plant burning in Geismar

http://theadvocate.com/home/2421293-125/chemical-plant-cleanup-complete-suit

Chemical plant cleanup complete; suit filed

BY David J. Mitchell

River Parishes bureau

March 27, 2012
1 Comments

GONZALES ? Workers removed the last remaining chemicals Sunday from a damaged production unit that exploded and caught fire last week at Westlake Chemical Corp. in Ascension Parish, state environmental regulators said Monday.

Meanwhile, the first lawsuit has been filed alleging residents who live in communities near the plant were harmed by chemicals released during the fire...