A Phillips 66 employee is still missing and a contract worker remains hospitalized after an explosion and fire on Thursday at a Phillips 66 pipeline station in southern Louisiana, St. Charles Parish and company officials tell Reuters.
The incident led to the evacuation of about 60 homes in Paradis, a town of about 1,200 residents west of New Orleans.
Evacuation restrictions had been lifted earlier today, but residents needed to show proof of residence to get onto La. 631, which shut following the blast.
Six workers were at the facility when the explosion occurred. Two were taken to a hospital with injuries, 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 says.
The pipeline has been blocked in and remaining product in the line is burning off, Phillips 66 says in an online notification. Champagne said the fire could burn for hours or at least a day.
By midday today, 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.
The pipeline carries Y-grade, a mixture of natural gas liquids such as propane and butane, from Venice to Paradis in Louisiana.
