http://www.reuters.com/article/us-pipeline-fire-phillips-louisiana-idUSKBN15P0FG
Fri Feb 10, 2017 | 12:56pm EST
One worker unaccounted for after Phillips 66 Louisiana pipeline fire
A Phillips 66 employee was missing on Friday and a contract worker
remained hospitalized after an explosion and fire on Thursday at a
Phillips 66 pipeline station in southern Louisiana, parish and company
officials said on Friday.
The incident led to the evacuation of about 60 homes in Paradis,
Louisiana, a town of about 1,200 residents west of New Orleans,
officials in St. Charles Parish said.
Evacuation restrictions had been lifted by late Friday morning but
residents needed to show proof of residence to get onto Highway 631,
which shut following the blast.
Six workers were at the facility when the explosion occurred. Two were
taken to a hospital with injures, St. Charles Sheriff Greg Champagne
said at a news conference aired on local news outlets.
Three workers had minor or no injuries, Champagne said.
The incident occurred at the Paradis Pipeline Station operated by
Phillips 66 about 30 minutes west of New Orleans, a company spokesman said.
The pipeline has been blocked in and remaining product in the line is
burning off, Phillips 66 said in an online notification. Champagne said
the fire could burn for hours or at least a day.
By mid-day Friday, the fire was going down and pressure on the line was
decreasing, a Phillips 66 official said at a news conference.
The blast occurred during routine maintenance and its cause is under
investigation, he added.
The pipeline carries y-grade, a mixture of natural gas liquids such as
propane and butane, from Venice to Paradis, Louisiana.
