GARRYVILLE - Several workers were injured on Monday in a powerful explosion at the Marathon Petroleum refinery in St. John the Baptist Parish, the company said in a statement released later that night.
Initial reports from Marathon said no one was hurt, although a company spokesperson issued a news release late Monday saying a total of six contract workers were injured.
"On Monday, February 21, Marathon Petroleum emergency responders extinguished a fire at the company's Garyville, Louisiana, refinery, which began at approximately 9:30 a.m. central time. All employees and contract workers accounted for six contracts. Workers suffered minor injuries, three of whom were treated on site. Three were evaluated at a local health facility as a precaution and were released. Air monitoring was deployed in the community, and emissions No hazardous levels of C were detected. Air monitoring continued overnight as a precaution. The safety of responders, employees, contractors and the community is our top priority, and we will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the fire "
Witnesses near the Garyville facility reported a loud boom shortly after 9 a.m., adding that "everything was shaken" by the shockwave. In Laplace, a resident heard the sound of the explosion from about five miles away.
"My wife and family were still in the house, and they came out to see what was going on," Lyons Aydel said.
Videos posted on social media show a massive fire at the facility.
According to Jacqueline Hodart, the president of St John's Parish, at this time they pose no off-site threat to the rest of the community.