Residents near the Marathon Petroleum refinery in Garyville, Louisiana have been ordered to evacuate due to a major naphtha release and fire that broke out at one of its storage tanks.
A spokesperson for the company said that the incident was self-contained on company property and there were no reported injuries.
In addition, air monitoring has been deployed as an extra precautionary measure.
JUST IN – Large fire burning at Marathon Oil Refinery in Garryville, Louisiana
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Several eyewitness accounts report seeing a large amount of smoke billowing out from the refinery which grew rapidly and darkened in color.
The New Jersey Department of Health describes naphtha as “a term to describe a class of hydrocarbon mixtures obtained from distilling petroleum”, which is hazardous when breathed in or passed through the skin, causing symptoms such as headaches, nausea and vomiting.
As an investigation into this matter continues, it is important for all local residents to remain vigilant and follow any further instructions issued by officials.
As mentioned above, naphtha can cause serious health problems when inhaled or absorbed through the skin including headaches, nausea and vomiting.
It can also irritate eyes nose and throat if exposed over long periods of time leading to more long-term health consequences such as liver damage or cancer according to experts in this field.
We urge all local residents within two miles radius of this refinery to evacuate immediately so they are not exposed to any potential risks posed by this release or fire on-site at Marathon Petroleum Refinery in Garyville, Louisiana.
This is a developing story with new details continuing to come in.