Tagged News

• Southern California chemical tank at risk of exploding as 50,000 residents are ordered to evacuate Play Video

  May 24, 2026 3:25 PM

  SANTA ANA (AP) — A damaged chemical tank in Southern California may have cracked — potentially lowering the risk of a cataclysmic explosion — though an evacuation order remains in effect for some 50,000 area residents with no timeline on when they can return, fire officials said Sunday. ... more »

• Inside the cruise ship at the center of a rare hantavirus outbreak Play Video

  May 5, 2026 2:00 PM

  (AP) — Footage obtained by The Associated Press of a cruise ship at the center of a rare-virus outbreak shows deserted decks and gathering areas, medical teams in protective gear, and a still landscape ahead as the vessel and its nearly 150 passengers and crew waited another day for direction... more »

• 7.5 magnitude earthquake off of the northern coast of Japan on Monday

  April 20, 2026 6:22 AM

  TOKYO -- A strong earthquake struck off Japan’s northern coast, prompting a tsunami alert from the Japan Meteorological Agency. The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 and hit near the Sanriku coastline around 4:53 p.m. local time (0753 GMT). It originated at a shallow depth of about 10... more »

• LSU evacuates Digital Media Center after alert for excessive carbon monoxide levels Play Video

  February 2, 2026 12:25 PM

  BATON ROUGE — The LSU Digital Media Center was evacuated Monday following reports of excessive carbon monoxide levels attributed to a faulty boiler. "A full building evacuation has been initiated," LSU said in a message sent to students. A university spokesman said the building would remain closed until it... more »

• Glasgow Middle School receives all-clear after bomb threat evacuation Play Video

  November 20, 2025 10:32 AM

  UPDATE: Glasgow Middle School was issued the all-clear and said it is safe for students to return. Baton Rouge Police confirmed that there was no bomb on campus. Read our original story below: BATON ROUGE — Law enforcement is investigating a bomb threat called into Glasgow Middle School... more »

• Southern University evacuates John B. Cade Library due to potential threat; third evacuation in month Play Video

  September 30, 2025 1:04 PM

  UPDATE: Southern issued an "all-clear" around 1:30 p.m., but said that the library will remain closed for the rest of the day. The university said that campus has been deemed safe and normal operations can resume. Read our original story below: BATON ROUGE — Southern University evacuated the... more »

• With little information from officials on SU threat, misinformation spreads online Play Video

  September 12, 2025 5:59 PM

  BATON ROUGE — In the wake of a campus-wide lockdown and evacuation for a threat, Southern University was quiet Friday afternoon. Currently, and through the weekend, the only people allowed on campus are students who live here and essential employees like the dining hall staff. All classes and activities... more »

• 25 to 30 units damaged after New Orleans apartment building catches fire; smoke visible from interstate Play Video

  September 3, 2025 8:55 AM

  NEW ORLEANS — A New Orleans apartment building caught fire Wednesday morning, causing a large plume of smoke to billow into the air that was visible as commuters entered the city on I-10 westbound. WWL reports that firefighters were battling a four-alarm fire at Gentilly Ridge Apartments off Chef... more »

• The urgent warning before Katrina that changed weather forecasts Play Video

  August 29, 2025 7:52 PM

  More than two decades ago, a National Weather Service forecaster issued a warning about Hurricane Katrina that was so dire and unprecedented that its legitimacy was initially questioned. The bulletin, issued on August 28, 2005, by meteorologist Robert Ricks, used chilling and graphic language to highlight the potential impacts of... more »

• Roseland Montessori School reopening Tuesday after evacuation zone shrinks following explosion Play Video

  August 25, 2025 11:04 AM

  ROSELAND — Roseland Montessori School will reopen on Tuesday after closing on Monday following an explosion at a nearby facility in Roseland, the Tangipahoa Parish School District said. "The Department of Environmental Quality has confirmed that air quality tests inside the building and around our school have given the... more »

• Fire still burning after Friday explosion at Smitty's Supply; see updates from officials Play Video

  August 23, 2025 8:12 AM

  ROSELAND — Explosions through the nighttime hours prolonged an environmental emergency at a Tangipahoa Parish oils and lubricants company. An evacuation order for a community of about 1,000 people remained in place as Saturday dawned. As of Saturday afternoon, more than 24 hours after the initial blast, Louisiana State... more »

• WBRZ FLASHBACK: Bayou Corne sinkhole Play Video

  July 24, 2025 8:26 AM

  BAYOU CORNE — This week in WBRZ history, about 150 homeowners were forced to evacuate after a sinkhole was formed from a collapsed salt dome in Bayou Corne. The evacuation order for the small Assumption Parish community came down in August 2012, but concerns about the area had been... more »

• Law enforcement investigating bomb threat made to Albany pharmacy

  July 2, 2025 1:15 PM

  ALBANY — Deputies are investigating a bomb threat that was called into an Albany pharmacy Wednesday morning. According to Albany Police, the threat was called in around 9:41 a.m. at John's Pharmacy. As a result, the building was evacuated as a precaution. Law enforcement said they did not... more »

• Tangipahoa Parish Jail returns to normal operations after hours-long evacuation due to smoke

  January 17, 2025 12:35 PM

  AMITE — After reports of smoke in the parish jail, Tangipahoa Parish deputies evacuated a majority of the facility's inmates. Deputies said that smoke was reported inside the jail on Thursday afternoon. After this, many of the jail's inmates were put into an evacuation protocol, which also involved a... more »

• MSA West in Iberville evacuated after students, faculty report smell of burning wires

  September 16, 2024 10:00 AM

  PLAQUEMINE - MSA West in Iberville Parish was evacuated as a precautionary measure Monday morning after students and faculty reported the smell of burning wires. The Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed the evacuation and the smell. There was no immediate word on the cause of the smell. The... more »

• Voluntary evacuation in place for Assumption Parish, residents prepared Play Video

  September 10, 2024 5:05 PM

  NAPOLEONVILLE — Assumption Parish authorities have issued a voluntary evacuation order for the entire parish, particularly for the low-lying areas prone to flooding, ahead of Francine's landfall. Wednesday morning at 9, the community center on La. 308 in Napoleonville will be open to the public as a shelter. ... more »

• Committee questions state over handling of nursing home evacuations Play Video

  September 24, 2021 6:17 PM

  BATON ROUGE - New rules are being discussed for how emergency evacuations for nursing home facilities are handled. That's after a disastrous evacuation before Hurricane Ida that stranded more than 800 people in a warehouse ill-equipped to properly care for the residents. At least five have died from the experience.... more »

• Nursing home owner plans to fight back after licenses pulled in wake of deadly Ida evacuation

  September 17, 2021 4:12 PM

  A Baton Rouge nursing home owner under investigation following a deadly mass evacuation to a makeshift shelter ahead of Hurricane Ida plans to fight back after his licenses were revoked. Bob Dean Jr.'s attorney, John McLindon, tells WBRZ they are "absolutely filing an appeal" within the next two weeks,... more »

• Missing woman not seen since evacuating New Orleans following Hurricane Ida

  September 16, 2021 1:01 PM

  The New Orleans Police Department is looking for a 84-year woman not seen since evacuating following Hurricane Ida. Police say Maureen Olive Brown was last seen on September 4, 2021 boarding a RTA bus to evacuate. She did exit the bus at the Ernest Morial Convention Center, but the person... more »

• Cedarcrest Southmoor Elementary dismisses students early after natural gas scare Wednesday

  September 15, 2021 1:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE - An odor briefly forced administrators to clear out a school building in Baton Rouge Wednesday. A spokesperson for the Baton Rouge Fire Department said students at Cedarcrest Southmoor Elementary School were relocated after an employee smelled what seemed to be natural gas. Officials later said it... more »

• Fallout grows over botched nursing home evacuation, lawyers name state in new lawsuit Play Video

  September 10, 2021 6:50 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Prominent Baton Rouge lawyers from the Unglesby Law firm and Ron Haley Associates said they filed a lawsuit against the Louisiana Department of Health and Bob Dean over a nursing home evacuation that left hundreds of residents stuffed in a warehouse. It's the second lawsuit filed... more »

• Class action lawsuit filed against nursing home owner after deadly mass shelter fiasco Play Video

  September 8, 2021 1:50 PM

  JEFFERSON PARISH - A lawsuit filed in Jefferson Parish this week paints a grim picture of what happened inside an ill-fated makeshift shelter where several nursing homes packed more than 800 residents, seven of whom have since died , in horrific conditions while they rode out Hurricane Ida. The... more »

• LSU Tigers arrive safely in Houston after evacuating from Baton Rouge

  August 29, 2021 10:02 AM

  HOUSTON, Texas - LSU's football team arrived safely in Houston Sunday morning. The team was among the hundreds of locals who evacuated Saturday night. Next Stop: Houston pic.twitter.com/L9fDn4XPJz — LSU Football (@LSUfootball) August 29, 2021 According to Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated, the... more »

• Storm evacuations for parishes, communities in the Greater Baton Rouge area

  August 28, 2021 10:40 AM

  Stream WBRZ newscasts here See the WBRZ storm forecast here Assumption Parish Mandatory evacuation issued Saturday morning. Tangipahoa Parish Suggested evacuation for people south of Hwy. 22. St. Martin Parish Due to the impending threat of Hurricane Ida, St. Martin Parish President Chester... more »

• Residents of Caribbean island evacuate due to 'imminent' volcanic eruption

  April 9, 2021 9:55 AM

  KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent - Residents of a southern Caribbean island are rushing to evacuate on Friday morning as local officials warn of an imminent volcanic eruption. According to CNN , the island of St. Vincent is on red alert because a volcano called La Soufriere is expected to erupt... more »

• Louisiana's evacuation plan and phases

  May 19, 2020 10:35 AM

  Determine if whether or not you live in a storm surge hurricane evacuation zone or if you’re in a home that would be unsafe during a hurricane. If you are, figure out where you would go and how you would get there if told to evacuate. You do not need... more »

• Smoke fills middle school, students evacuated Friday Play Video

  November 3, 2017 11:10 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Students were evacuated from Sherwood Middle School Friday morning after smoke filled the building. Firefighters were dispatched around nine o'clock to the school on Goodwood between Sharp and Sherwood Forest. Students were evacuated to the yard. Video and pictures recorded by a WBRZ news crew showed... more »

• Grand Isle asks people to evacuate ahead of Nate

  October 5, 2017 1:00 PM

  GRAND ISLE – The popular camp and fishing community along Louisiana's Gulf Coast has called for a mandatory evacuation. The city said it issued a state of emergency Thursday and asked people to consider leaving ahead of tropical system Nate, which is forecast to enter the Gulf and likely... more »

• Haze appearing from ground prompts evacuation of ball park Wednesday

  March 29, 2017 7:07 PM

  CENTRAL – People were evacuated from a part of Lovett Road Park as a haze started coming from the ground Wednesday evening. Fire crews and a hazmat team were dispatched when people noticed the haze on a ball park. A WBRZ news crew reported people were moved from one... more »

• Chemical leak in Ascension Parish contained Play Video

  January 18, 2017 10:29 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Hazmart crews have contained a hydrochloric acid leak in Ascension Parish, and emergency responders have been working to neutralize the chemical. A hazmat team was called to the scene on Ashland Road near Highway 30. Someone working along the railroad reported the leak coming from a... more »

• Humane Society of the United States assists Louisiana animals, residents

  August 16, 2016 3:06 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Humane Society of the United States’ Animal Rescue Team is on the ground in South Louisiana to provide disaster relief for pets and residents in the wake of severe flooding in the state. The organization is currently assisting in the transport of more than 100... more »

• Voluntary evacuation ordered for Sorrento residents

  August 15, 2016 7:23 PM

  S ORRENTO – Officials in Ascension Parish are asking residents in Sorrento to evecuate due to rising flood waters in the area. Sorrento officials say they expect water to potentially rise 3-4 feet over the next 12 hours. Ascension Parish authorities say residents can evacuate to the Lamar... more »

• Troopers evacuating stranded motorists from I-12

  August 13, 2016 9:49 PM

  TANGIPAHOA PARISH - A state police spokesman says authorities are going car to car to rescue people stranded on the Interstate from the horrific Louisiana flooding. Maj. Doug Cain from the Louisiana State Police said about 125 vehicles are stranded on Interstate 12 between Tangipahoa Parish and Baton Rouge.... more »

• Ochsner says NICU evacuation not needed

  August 13, 2016 5:02 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Officials with Ochsner Medical Center on O'Neal said they have remained open to serve patients with emergency needs throughout area flooding. Despite earlier reports to the contrary, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the O'Neal campus did not require evacuation. The NICU remained open and continued... more »

• Floods send residents on journey to find shelter for the night

  August 12, 2016 7:48 PM

  TANGIPAHOA - A few hundred residents of the Town of Tangipahoa who were rescued from their homes on Friday had to make several stops before they finally found a place to stay after double digit rainfall totals drenched the area. WWL-TV reported the residents said the rain started at... more »

• Phone surveys on hurricane preparedness to begin

  August 1, 2016 5:31 PM

  BATON ROUGE – The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is conducting a study on Hurricane Preparedness. LSU's Stephenson Disaster Management Institute will be conducting a phone survey on individual preparedness actions. The survey will be conducted during August, September and October. The average phone survey will... more »

• Person detained following bomb threat at State Capitol Play Video

  May 16, 2016 7:37 PM

  BATON ROUGE- One person is in custody following bomb threats Monday evening at the State Capitol and Hollywood Casino in downtown Baton Rouge, State Police say. A bomb threat was called into the State Capitol just before 6:30 p.m. Minutes later, a similar threat was called into the Hollywood... more »

• The route and destination, have an evacuation plan

  May 16, 2016 10:22 AM

  Determine if whether or not you live in a storm surge hurricane evacuation zone or if you’re in a home that would be unsafe during a hurricane. If you are, figure out where you would go and how you would get there if told to evacuate. You do not need... more »

• Possible gas leak at BR charter school results in voluntary evacuation

  May 9, 2016 10:32 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A charter school in North Baton Rouge was evacuated by firefighters after a gas leak was reported Monday morning. A voluntary evacuation was put into place by BRFD after a gas odor was said to be lingering at Inspire Charter Academy, located off N Foster Drive... more »

• UPDATE: Belaire High School students evacuated

  March 24, 2016 12:39 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Students at Belaire High School have been evacuated due to a reported fire at the school, however there was no fire, according to the Baton Rouge Fire Department. The BRFD was called to the scene and confirmed that there was no fire and all sutdents were... more »

• Flood water swallows I-12; Voluntary evacuation for low-lying Tangipahoa

  March 12, 2016 5:53 PM

  HAMMOND - There is a voluntary evacuation for areas along the Tangipahoa River in jeopardy of experiencing flooding similar to the flood event of 1983. Saturday, Parish President Robby Miller encouraged people in low-lying areas to leave. Miller is calling for a voluntary evacuation of areas south of US... more »

• Gas leak prompts Baker HS evacuation

  October 19, 2015 10:17 AM

  BAKER - School administrators said a gas leak forced them to evacuate Baker High School for less than an hour Monday morning. Superintendent Herman Brister said the leak was spotted around 7:20 a.m. and led to a brief evacuation. He said students went to the locations they learned through... more »

• State unveils mobile pet shelter Play Video

  August 27, 2015 7:42 PM

  GONZALES - The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry unveiled its new mobile pet shelter. It's a trailer that's designed to drive around picking up animals who need to evacuate in the event of a disaster. "We can go on-site where there is an emergency. And this is... more »