Smoke Billows Near Lake Charles after Plant “incident”

WESTLAKE- A fire at the Axiall refinery west of Lake Charles has been extinguished and sources tell WBRZ News 2 some plant workers are headed back into the facility about an hour and a half after an incident forced evacuations and a shelter in place.

Company spokesperson Patricia Prebula said there was a fire at a furnace which holds vinyl chloride and hydrochloric acid.

"We know of no offsite impact at this point," Prebula told the Lake Charles newspaper, the American Press. But, shelters in place were issued for communities surrounding the plant.

I-10 was also closed in the area as the emergency unfolded Friday afternoon.

The situation developed a day after Axiall joined the state in announcing the state was potentially going to be home to a new, $3 billion world-scale ethane cracker. The project would be built in conjunction with a related ethylene derivatives plant. But, a specific location was not released.

In addition to Westlake, Axiall also has an operation in Plaquemine.

A design would be drafted next year and, if the company's board of directors approves the project, commercial operations could begin by 2018.

Friday's fire is under investigation.

Workplace accidents such as this one can have a great and immediate impact on both workers on the ground and those residents in the surrounding area.  In these types of situations, it is important to choose an attorney with the knowledge and experience necessary to quickly and effectively investigate the causes and damages associated with the accident.  Here at Fisher Injury Lawyers, our attorney, Chris J. Day, has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and spent countless hours working at similar plants.  Along with our other in house engineer, our legal team knows exactly what to do to get your case to the finish line.  

Very few attorneys in Louisiana can match the legal and technical knowledge and experience that our team has at Fisher Injury Lawyers.  Our attorneys, Chris J. Day and Bryan D. Fisher, are available to talk about your claim today.  Contact us at 225-766-1234 or email us using the form on our website and let us tell you personally how we can help you recover what you deserve for your case.

Chris J. Day

Louisiana Personal Injury Attorney

Source: WBRZ