Officials are letting a fire burn inside a chemical plant about 10 miles west of Baton Rouge. Crews are monitoring several containers of a chemical used for welding.
About 40 homes and some businesses near the Air Liquide plant were evacuated after an explosion and fire broke out Monday morning. One worker was treated for an eye injury. The fire is burning in a yard where empty containers are stored. The company refills cylinders with acetylene. It’s commonly used in manufacturing and is trucked to the facility.
State police have restricted traffic on U.S. Highway 190 while the evacuation order remains in effect.
