Massive fire erupts after ‘chemical leak’ at Marathon refinery near New Orleans

A massive fire erupted following a chemical leak at a Marathon Petroleum Corporation refinery in Louisiana.

Marathon personnel and fire authorities responded to the scene of a naphtha spill and subsequent fire in Garyville, west of New Orleans, on Friday. The partially refined product, which is used to make gasoline, was stored in a tank that leaked.

“Initially it was kind of a lazy flame,” Marathon spokesperson Justin Lawrence said during a press conference. “We put foam on it to keep it contained but as the day gets hotter, it reignited in spots that are harder to control.”

Mr Lawrence noted only the fire had started in the area around the leaking tank, not the tank itself, and that the company was working along with fire officials to pump out the product that was still inside.

Individuals who reside within a two-mile radius of the refinery have been ordered to evacuate. The fire and spill have been contained within the refinery’s property and no injuries have been reported.

Video recorded by witnesses showed heavy smoke rising from the facility.

Fire officials refused to estimate how long it would take to put the blaze out but said more than 50 personnel responded to the emergency.

“There are air monitors on site,” St John Parish President Jaclyn Hotard said. “And again, we’ve been reassured that all of the impacts have been contained to the Marathon facility and what we’re doing right now is only as a precautionary measure.”

Port facilities within two miles of the fire have also been evacuated as the US Coast Guard continues to monitor the situation. A shelter has been opened at the East St John Preparatory Academy’s gym.

Ms Hotard said that although the incident was “alarming,” local officials were working with Marathon personnel to properly respond to the fire and its aftermath.

In February 2022, an on-site explosion at the refinery left six people injured, according to local media. Eight months later, two employees sustained injuries during another fire.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the release on Friday.

Ms Hotard said she issued a mandatory evacuation out of an abundance of caution, and did not specify what dangers the chemical spill might pose for the community.

St John the Baptist Parish is part of Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley,” a stretch of land between New Orleans and Baton Rouge with a high concentration of chemical plants. The cancer risk for residents of the parish is nearly seven times higher than the national average, according to the EPA.