Explosions rocked a Multi-Chem Corp. chemical plant in a New Iberia industrial park on Tuesday afternoon.

A chemical fire at a facility where chemicals are blended for oilfield operations forced residents to evacuate or hunker down Tuesday evening in their homes.

State Police said no one was injured when explosions rocked the chemical plant.

Trooper Stephen Hammons said all employees are accounted for.

The explosion took place in a building next to the Acadiana Regional Airport, which was ordered to closed, and a one-mile area around the plant was evacuated.

Iberia Parish sheriff’s deputies closed Louisiana 182 on the western side of the city, about 75 miles west of New Orleans.

The Daily Iberian newspaper reported that explosions could be heard 20 minutes after the first, which was about 4 p.m.

A spokesman for Multi-Chem Group in Houston said the company was gathering information on what happened. The company makes oilfield production chemicals.

Hammons said teams had not determined what chemicals were burning inside the warehouse.

Hammons said firefighters decided it was safest to let the fire burn itself out.

Source: No one injured as explosion rocks New Iberia chemical plant

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