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500-gallon chemical spill on Airline Hwy prompts shelter-in-place order for nearby residents

3 years 2 months 6 days ago Thursday, January 21 2021 Jan 21, 2021 January 21, 2021 5:16 PM January 21, 2021 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - A spill involving hundreds of gallons of a potentially harmful chemical shut down a portion of Airline Highway and prompted a nearby community to shelter inside their homes. 

The Baton Rouge Fire Department said the spill happened shortly before 3 p.m. on Airline Highway near Prescott Road. The incident reportedly led to about 500 gallons of Maleic Anhydride being spilled onto the roadway.

According to the National Library of Medicine, the chemical can cause "irritation of the respiratory tract and eye irritation" when inhaled.

The department said it's secured a 150-foot area around the spill and residents at the neighboring Once Around Mobile to shelter in place or evacuate as a precaution.

Multiple agencies, including state police, BRPD and EMS are currently on the scene as a Hazmat crew works to clean up the spill.

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