Chemical Explosion, Which Rained Down Oil and Sparked Massive Fire at a Louisiana Auto Plant, Leads to Evacuations

NEED TO KNOW

• An explosion at an auto supply plant in Louisiana caused oil to rain down on local residents, and sparked a massive fire that is still burning one day later

• Louisiana State Police said a chemical explosion occurred at around 12:50 p.m. local time on Aug. 22 at an auto supply plant in Roseland, located about 60 miles northeast of Baton Rouge

• An evacuation order has been put in place in the one-mile radius outside of the plant

An explosion at an auto supply plant in Louisiana caused a massive fire that is still burning one day later — and left local residents fleeing for cover as oil rained down over the area.

According to the Louisiana State Police, a chemical explosion took place at around 12:50 p.m. local time on Friday, Aug. 22, at Smitty’s Supply Inc., an auto supply plant in Roseland, located about 60 miles northeast of Baton Rouge in Tangipahoa Parish.

Police said no injuries have been reported, but the explosion sparked a massive blaze that sent black pillars of smoke into the sky and caused oil to rain down over the region.

One resident, who spoke to Fox 8, recalled turning her windshield wipers on when the downpour began.

"My husband was like, 'That's not rain,' " the resident said. "I was like, 'Oh no, it smells like oil.' "

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post on Aug. 23 that the fire was still raging 24 hours after the initial explosion. In addition, a number of small explosions occurred overnight on Aug. 22, Louisiana State Police Sgt. William Huggins said at a press conference the next day.

A mandatory evacuation has been put in place within a one-mile radius of the plant, and a temporary flight restriction is active in the three-mile radius around the site of the fire.

According to ABC News, 42 people who evacuated the area were staying in a shelter, and an elementary school located near the plant was evacuated directly. More than 400 people are employed at the auto plant, Fox 8 reported.

The Sheriff’s Office said on X that there is “no timeline for lifting [the evacuations] as business explosion and fire continues to be active.”

"Air monitoring conducted off-site but within this evacuation zone has not indicated any health concerns at this time, and conditions will continue to be closely monitored throughout the event," the Louisiana State Police added on Aug. 22. "Out of an abundance of caution, residents in the surrounding community are advised to remain indoors and limit exposure."

Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller added during the press conference on Aug. 22 that authorities do not expect to expand the one-mile evacuation zone, per NOLA.com.

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"I'm going to reiterate that we are doing our best to protect people, structures and the environment," Miller said, later adding during the press conference that the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality is monitoring the environmental impacts.

Miller said the cause of the explosion is still unknown.

According to Sgt. Huggins, the most recent air quality readings showed that the results were "below an actionable threshold.

However, authorities have asked residents to avoid any direct contact with soot from the flames, as it is believed to contain combustibles and hydrocarbon chemicals.

"Residents should take precautions to limit their exposure by staying indoors when possible, avoiding unnecessary time outdoors in the affected area," he said during the press conference. "Residents are advised to wash hands frequently, avoid touching your face or mouth after being outdoors and minimize contact with the soot if you can."

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