Accidents shake up St. Charles

Published 12:00 am Friday, May 5, 2000

LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / May 5, 2000

HAHNVILLE – Industrial accidents injured several people at two plants in St.

Charles Parish this week, at Orion Refining in Norco on Tuesday and at Monsanto Chemical in Luling on Thursday.

Four workers were badly burned when a plug in the line in Orion’s coker unit suddenly became unblocked, scalding the men with heated residual oil.

Orion spokesman Joy Patin said the company does not release names of employees involved in any matter. She did add that one Orion employee washospitalized at East Jefferson Medical Center in Metairie with second-degree burns and the other was treated and released.

The remaining two injured men were contract employees with Shaw Contractors. Both were taken to Baton Rouge General Hospital’s burn unitwith first- and second-degree burns. Again, their names were not released.McGinnis notified the parish Emergency Operations Center and the St.

Charles Sheriff’s Office, but not until Thursday – a possible error which could result in a fine.

Patin said McGinnis didn’t think the matter was important enough to call Louisiana State Police’s hazardous material unit because there was no environmental impact.

At Monsanto, a tank of acetic anhydride ruptured at 8:30 a.m., and releaseda small cloud of vapor with a vinegar-like odor into the area from Barton Avenue to Paul Maillard Road.

The 15,000-gallon tank contained only about 450 gallons at the time of the incident.

Plant officials immediately contacted the EOC, which notified residents through the automated phone system, and advised them to turn off air conditioners and close up their houses.

“It was an alert status emergency, the low end of the totem pole,” parish spokesman Steve Sirmon commented. “The parish didn’t sound the sirens,and it was over by 9:50 a.m.”Meanwhile, 106 area residents from across Luling descended upon St.

Charles Parish Hospital on Paul Maillard Road, complaining of burning eyes scratchy throats and itchy skin. “Some had nothing, but they werecomplaining anyway,” hospital spokesman Jerry Desselle said.

Plant workers also came, and were treated and washed down to remove any lingering chemical residue, Desselle added. No serious injuries were reported.

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