A chemical fire is burning at a facility in Westlake, La., in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura.
The BioLab Inc. plant complex makes chlorine for swimming pools. Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality press secretary Greg Langley confirmed the location of the fire for New Orleans Public Radio.
Louisiana State Police confirmed that a hazmat team is responding. The plant is near where the storm made landfall Wednesday night.
The Cajun Navy, a southern Louisiana volunteer group that responds to natural disasters, shared this video of smoke rising over the nearby city of Lake Charles.
"Residents are advised to shelter in place until further notice and close your doors and windows. Follow the directions of local officials," Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards tweeted.
The state also pushed out an emergency text notice. It wasn't immediately clear how much damage the fire is causing within the plant or what hazards it presents to local residents.
Louisiana State Police said Interstate 10, a major thoroughfare running along southern Louisiana, was shut down in preparation for Hurricane Laura and remains closed.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
