Explosion at Smitty's Supply triggers evacuations in Louisiana

A fire and chemical release at Smitty's Supply, an industrial and commercial lubricating fluids company, triggered evacuations over the weekend. 

EPA/Louisiana State PoliceSmitty's, located in Roseland, La., is one of the largest privately owned oil companies it the United States. It has about 450 employees. The fire was about 90% contained on Sunday, according to Louisiana State Police, but the facility sustained severe damage. 

No injuries were reported. The blaze started around 12:50 p.m. on Friday. Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller said in a Friday news conference that officials don't know what caused the fire. 

"I'll reiterate that we are doing our best to protect people, structures and the environment, and all of those agencies are pulling together to do that," he says. 

A mandatory evacuation remains in effect within a mile of the plant. 

As of Sunday, the fire at Smitty's Supply in Roseland, La., was 90% contained.EPA/Louisiana State Police

Smitty's says the Roseland site has more than 11 million gallons of bulk storage, 19 automated filling production lines, an on-site grease manufacturing plant, 14 acres of warehouse sapce under roof, a lab and testing facilities, three rail spurs that can hold 36 cars. 

The plant does repackaging for Shell, Penzoil, Castrol, Quaker State, Chevron and Texaco as well as private label contract blending and packaging. The site has manufacturer approvals for Detroit, Cat, Cummins, Volvo and Mack. 

The company also has facilities in Vicksburg, Miss.,  Hammond, Ind., and Jasper, Texas. 

Oil is shown in wetlands near the Smitty's Supply plant in southeast Louisiana after a fire and chemical release at the site on Friday.EPA/Louisiana State Police

Media reports from southeast Louisiana say a black rain fell from the sky in the area around the explosion. A nearby elementary school remains closed so officials can clean up oil residue on the campus, school officials told WDSU in New Orleans. 

Smitty's makes more than 200 products, most under the Super S brand, including: 

• Heavy-duty diesel engine oils.
• Transmission fluid.
• Gear oil.
• Grease.
• Hydraulic fluid.
• Cherry picker oil.
• Rotary piston and vacuum pump oil.
• Compressor oil.
• Antifreeze.
• Diesel exhaust fluid.
• Heavy-duty brake fluid.
• Solvent 140.
• Industrial absorbent.
• Truck wash.
• De-icer.
• Engine degreaser.
• Brake parts cleaner.
• A variety of treatments, including diesel conditioner and anti-gel. 

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The company also makes corrosion inhibitors under the Additives Plus brand as well as products under the CustomPlus brand.