Fire at Louisiana auto plant is 90% contained while evacuation order remains

ROSELAND, La. (AP) — A fire at an automotive supply plant in Louisiana was 90% contained Sunday, but a mandatory evacuation order remained in place as crews tried to address remaining flames, law enforcement officials said.

The fire at Smitty’s Supply just north of the town of Roseland ignited Friday after an explosion at the facility sent flames into the air and black smoke billowing over the surrounding rural area. No injuries have been reported.

Everyone within a one-mile (1.6-kilometer) radius of the plant was ordered to evacuate. The order remained in place at noon Sunday, state police said. During a press conference Saturday, police urged residents to minimize their contact with soot from the fire.

Louisiana State Police wrote in the update Sunday that all air monitoring for contaminants has shown “either non-detectable readings or levels well below health-based or actionable thresholds.”

Response crews were removing structural debris and addressing covered hotspots. Environmental response efforts were ongoing in the Tangipahoa River and surrounding waterways.

Smitty’s Supply delivers “high performance lubricants and automotive parts,” including oils, brake fluid, power steering fluid and antifreeze, according to the company’s website. Local officials said the plant employs about 400 people.

Roseland, which is home to about 1,100 people, is roughly 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Baton Rouge.