BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – A significant fire broke out at ExxonMobil late Tuesday night.
First reports of the fire began coming in around 11:50 p.m. on Feb. 11. The cause of the fire has not been determined.
There were no injuries and no off-site impact, officials say.
Crews continue to monitor air quality Wednesday morning.
“ExxonMobil is actively monitoring the facility fence line and surrounding areas of the North Baton Rouge community. At this point, all readings are non-detect but we will continue to conduct air monitoring,” Lee added.
The fire lit up the sky and caused great concern for the community. The refinery is located on the bluffs of the Mississippi River in North Baton Rouge
“We apologize for any inconvenience and concern this incident may have caused,” Lee said. “We will continue to keep you updated with information as it becomes available.
ExxonMobil is the largest manufacturing employer in Louisiana. The Baton Rouge refinery is the fifth largest in the nation. The facility produces gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and more. At the chemical plant, products produced include paint, adhesives, plastic milk jugs, and other everyday items.
One of the last incidents at the facility happened 30 years ago. On Christmas Eve of 1989 an explosion blew out windows at the state capitol and throughout downtown. It could be felt some 40 miles away and seen from even further.
Photo by Austin Kemker via Twitter of the blaze
To see the video from WAFB click here
