BioLab, a Lake Charles, Louisiana-based manufacturer of pool chlorine and cleaning products, caught fire the morning of August 27 as Hurricane Laura made landfall nearby. The fire sent chlorine gas into the air.
According to Col. Kevin Reeves, superintendent of the State Police, some of the plant's products began to react and decompose, which caused a fire. Chlorine gas was released into the air by the fire, Reeves said.
The cities of Westlake, Moss Bluff and Sulphur issued emergency shelter-in-place orders. The alerts said to close doors and windows and turn off air conditioners.
The owner of the Biolab plant, KIK Custom Products, released a statement and confirmed the fire was a result of damage sustained during Hurricane Laura.
“We are deploying a specialized team to the site, and we are working with first responders, local authorities and environmental agencies to contain and mitigate the impact of this incident as quickly as possible,” the statement read.
KIK said the plant had been shut down and evacuated before Hurricane Laura arrived.
According to an article from The Weather Channel, Biolab makes trichloroisocyanuric acid, chlorinating granules and other specialty blends. Trichloroisocyanuric acid and chlorine can be toxic to people and animals if ingested or inhaled. Chlorine gas, which was used as a chemical weapon in World War 1, is a powerful irritant to the eyes, throat and lungs.
