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One employee injured in fire at Airgas in Geismar, cause under investigation
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GEISMAR - According to a statement from Airgas Welding and Gas Supplies, a fire broke out early Wednesday morning at its Geismar location.
According to the Gonzales Fire Department, firefighters responded to the scene around 4:40 a.m. and found flames coming from a lab that performs testing on the gases handled at the facility.
The building was immediately evacuated, and one employee suffered minor injuries.
The fire department said that firefighters were not able to get close enough to the facility due to cylinders rupturing as a result of the fire. The fire was eventually extinguished around 6:30 a.m.
The fire department says that preliminary investigations into the fire reveal that the cause of the fire could have been from a malfunction of equipment in the building, however the cause remains under investigation.
JUST IN @CityofGonzales fire chief says "malfunctioning equipment" in @airgas lab to blame for morning fire, exact cause under investigation
— Brett Buffington (@BrettBuffington) January 11, 2017
There was no damage to the surrounding community, but the fire shut down LA 30 in both directions between LA 3115 and LA 73 for about an hour Wednesday morning.
The Sorrento 7th District Volunteer Fire Department, the Galvez-Lake Volunteer Fire Department, St. Amant Volunteer Fire Department, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office and the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office HazMat Team also responded to the scene to assist.
Sheriff's office telling me the fire at @airgas started in this lab, now heavily damaged after this morning's fire. @WBRZ pic.twitter.com/0Z9rsrJwc1
— Brett Buffington (@BrettBuffington) January 11, 2017
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