15-7-2023 (IBERVILLE PARISH) A series of explosions rocked the Dow Chemical facility in Iberville Parish on Friday evening, July 14, shaking homes several miles away. Plant officials confirmed that all employees were accounted for and that no injuries were reported. However, the cause of the incident, which began around 9:15 pm, is still being investigated.
Videos from the scene showed flames shooting from the facility and a large amount of smoke rising into the air. Iberville Parish Sheriff Brett Stassi confirmed that air monitoring outside of the facility did not detect any dangerous chemicals. Nevertheless, Iberville Parish Emergency Preparedness Officials urged residents within a half-mile radius of the plant to shelter in place, meaning residents should remain indoors with air conditioning units turned off.
#WATCH: There’s a major fire at the Dow Chemical Plant in Plaquemine. This viewer video from Brandon Smith shows what it looks like now.
Authorities say there were multiple explosions. We’re still gathering information. #LANews @BRProudNews https://t.co/8GVRRragZl pic.twitter.com/bO5v2QQEqH
— Andrew Epperson (@eppersports) July 15, 2023
As of 1:15 am, the shelter-in-place order remained in place for the half-mile radius around the Dow plant in Iberville Parish. Dow has advised Iberville Parish that they are doing air monitoring and are not picking up any readings at this time. Further updates will be posted on the Iberville Parish website.
Kenneth Haydel, who was near the plant with family members, said he heard several explosions within a few seconds of one another. “We looked up in the sky, and the whole sky was lit up orange,” he said. Residents as far away as along Burbank Drive in Baton Rouge reported that the explosions shook their homes.
Very wild evening in
Please keep everyone in your prayers as there were multiple explosions with ongoing fires at the $DOW Chemical Plant in Plaquemine, La.
Plaquemine is across the Mississippi River downstream from Baton Rouge#EFT #Chemical #OIL pic.twitter.com/0Aobd1O0Iv— 90s Random Consultant (@ManchesterUtd81) July 15, 2023
