Local emergency responders are responding to a naphtha release and fire at a storage tank Friday at the Marathon Petroleum refinery in Garyville, Louisiana.
According to a statement from the petroleum company, the release and fire are contained within the refinery’s property, with no off-site impacts detected and no injuries reported. Air monitoring has also been deployed within the community.
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Residents within a 1-mile radius of the refinery are being ordered to evacuate as a precautionary measure.
#BREAKING Here’s a look at the Marathon Petroleum refinery in Garyville where first responders battle massive flames and smoke.
— Andrés Fuentes (@news_fuentes) August 25, 2023
Air monitoring has been deployed as a precaution.@FOX8NOLA pic.twitter.com/OOINYUBzwN
Videos of the fire began circulating online Friday morning, with large dark clouds of smoke and fire billowing out of the plant.
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Naphtha is a term used to describe a class of hydrocarbon mixtures obtained from distilling petroleum. When breathed in or passed through the skin, it can cause headaches, nausea, and vomiting.
It’s unclear how the fire began. Officials from the company stated that an investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the release.