ALL CLEAR: Shelter in place canceled for Plaquemine area hours after fire, chlorine spill at Olin plant on Dow site

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - A fire and chlorine spill led to an order for residents in parts of Iberville parish to shelter in place Monday evening. That shelter in place order was lifted, and the all-clear given, just after midnight.

Iberville Parish Sheriff Brett Stassi says a fire broke out at the Olin plant, located on the property of Dow Chemical in Plaquemine, at 8:40 p.m. Monday. At that same time, a chlorine spill was reported at the facility. The sheriff says emergency sirens were sounded in the area to warn residents of the emergency.

On Friday, April 22 Clint Moore, Emergency Management Director with Iberville Parish stated that 30 people went to the hospital with chlorine-related injuries. Typical injuries related to chlorine poisoning. He does not believe any were bad or folks had to stay in the hospital long term.

A photo from the scene showed a large plume of smoke billowing from the facility.

Parish President Mitch Ourso said the smell of chlorine was reported in the air several miles from the facility.

The fire was extinguished by 9:30 p.m. but crews were still working to contain the chlorine spill as late as 11:15 p.m., emergency officials said. The sheriff said air monitoring showed chlorine levels outside of the plant were not dangerously high. Because of that, no evacuations were ordered.

No injuries were reported but ambulances were staged in the area and local hospitals were put on standby, the sheriff said.

Residents in and around Plaquemine were initially ordered to stay indoors and shelter in place during the incident.

During the incident, officials shut down LA-1 in both directions near the scene. The roadway was reopened just after midnight.

Olin Corporation issued a statement on the spill Wed., April 20.

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