By Laura French
LAKE CHARLES, La. — A chemical fire has broken out in a Louisiana city close to where the eye of Hurricane Laura passed Thursday morning.
The Lafayette Daily Advertiser reports that the blaze at a chemical plant and a massive chlorine leak have led a highway to be closed and Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards to issue a shelter-in-place warning. Residents were instructed to close their doors and windows and turn off their air conditioners.
Louisiana State Police confirmed that personnel are working a hazmat incident in Westlake, La., just west of Lake Charles, which was in the direct path of the eye of the Category 4 hurricane. Police reported that the chlorine leak originated from a chemical manufacturing facility called BioLab.
The facility produces household cleaners such as bleach scrub as well as chlorine powder for swimming pools, according to the Associated Press.
It is unknown whether the blaze was caused by the hurricane, according to KHOU.
Video shows smoke and gasses crossing over I-10 in Sulpher, Lousiana.
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