ROSELAND — Protesters are calling for the immediate closure of a school near the site of the August 2025 Smitty's Supply explosion. Demonstrators walked to City Hall demanding protection for children who attend Roseland Montessori School.

Allie Ponvelle with the Blue Shirt Justice League said she worries for those children and their health.

"They're little. They have no voice. We're supposed to protect our kids, and it's not safe there," said Ponvelle.

The school serves hundreds of pre-K through eighth-grade students across Tangipahoa Parish and sits less than a mile from Smitty's.

Federal officials initially said there was no threat to public health, but EPA documents recently obtained by an independent tester say otherwise.

Matthew Allen, director of Northshore Riverwatch, said those documents and independent tests outlined multiple toxic chemicals that could pose threats to human health.

"All kinds of oils, toluenes, gasoline, diesels, PFAs from the firefighting foam," Allen said.

Allen said everyone in Louisiana should be concerned with those findings.

"This could happen to you," he said. "If you live anywhere with industry, there's always the chance of an accident."

Demonstrators said local leaders told them the town is safe. Still, residents are reporting symptoms like migraines and nosebleeds.

Environmental groups believe nearby waterways, including the Tangipahoa River, could be contaminated.

Along with the school closure, the community is pushing for more transparency, plus immediate health and environmental protections.

"I would like to see Smitty's totally isolated with a levee around it where they can collect any storm water or wash water and take care of it appropriately," Allen said.

WBRZ reached out to the EPA for comment, but has not heard back.