Louisiana refinery fire triggers evacuation for those near the Marathon plant in Garyville

Greg Hilburn, Houma Courier-Thibodaux Daily Comet
·1 min read
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Residents near a Marathon Petroleum refinery in St. John the Baptist Parish have been evacuated Friday as firefighters and emergency responders continue to fight a large fire at the plant in Garyville.

Parish President Jaclyn Hoard issued an emergency declaration and issued a mandatory evacuation for all residents within a two-mile radius of the refinery, though no injuries have been reported so far.

Plant officials said the fire started shortly before 7 a.m. when naphtha,  a refined or partially refined petroleum most commonly used for gasoline, ignited after leaking from a storage tank.

A large plume of black smoke from the fire continued to fill the sky into the early afternoon.

An air monitoring unit has been deployed to make sure there are no dangerous gases in the air near people’s homes and businesses.

An industrial fire at the Marathon refinery in Garyville, Louisiana, sent a black smoke plume into the sky on Aug. 25, 2023, causing a mandatory evacuation for residents within two miles of the plant.
An industrial fire at the Marathon refinery in Garyville, Louisiana, sent a black smoke plume into the sky on Aug. 25, 2023, causing a mandatory evacuation for residents within two miles of the plant.

Parish officials have opened shelters at East St. John Prep Academy Gym and East St. John High School Gym in LaPlace and West St. John High School in Edgard.

USA Today Network has a reporter on the scene. Continue to follow the network for updates throughout the day.

This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Louisiana refinery fire triggers evacuation at Marathon plant in Garyville