Louisiana State Police, the Tangipahoa Parish Government and other agencies are continuing to work to get the fire out at Smitty’s Supply in Roseland.
The explosion and fire happened around 12:50 p.m. in Roseland on Friday.
Officials are maintaining a one-mile radius for the evacuation zone.
Louisiana State Police and the Tangipahoa Parish Government held a press conference Saturday morning to provide an update on the explosion in Roseland.
According to the Louisiana State Police, the fire remains active, and no injuries have been reported.
Crews are still on the scene working to slow the fire down and get it under control.
How to protect yourself from possible health concerns:
State police are asking residents not to touch or clean the soot due to the remains being unknown at this time.
Residents should take precautions to limit their exposure, including staying indoors when possible.
Air monitoring is also being conducted off-site but within the evacuation zone, LSP reports there have not been any indication of health concerns at this time.
The EPA has deployed a special aircraft to conduct additional air monitoring.
According to the Louisiana State Police, the soot generated by the fire is associated with combustibles such as plastics or burning trucks, as well as some hydrocarbon chemicals like oil or lubricants.
Officials say residents should wash their hand frequently, avoid touching your face or mouth after being outdoor and minimize contact with the soot if you can.
They are also monitoring waterways and conducting burning operations to contain and collect any possible spillage.
Water samples are also being collected for further analysis to determine potential environmental impact.
The cleanup and recovery of the area will be managed by a unified incident command which will consist of State Police, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and private contractors.
The Louisiana State Police is reminding residents, visitors, and pilots to check Federal Aviation Administration and Temporary Flight Restrictions before operating manned or unmanned aircraft in the Roseland area.
The TFR is defined as a 3-nautical-mile radius around the Smitty’s incident site and up to 5,000 feet above surface level.
For hazardous materials emergencies, the Hazardous Materials Hotline is staffed by Right-to-Know personnel and serves as the central reporting line for chemical spills or hazardous material incidents.
You can find the Hazardous Materials Hotline and other information can be found here. Transporters, manufacturers, storage facilities, and others handling regulated hazardous materials are required to report incidents immediately.
For immediate medical concerns, please contact the Poison Center Hotline at 1 (800) 222-1222.
EPA has established an emergency response site on EPA’s activities, which can be found here.
READ MORE:Roseland explosion: Evacuations underway, cause remains unknown
