Tagged News

• Camping stove sold by Walmart under recall; Second-degree burns reported Play Video

  December 1, 2025 3:58 PM

  A camping stove sold by Walmart is under recall because of serious burn and fire hazards. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Ozark Trail Tabletop stove was manufactured by China Window Industry Company, and more than 200,000 stoves were sold. The company has received more than a... more »

• UPS crew ID'd, vigil held in Kentucky to share sorrow over UPS plane crash that killed at least 13 Play Video

  November 6, 2025 7:45 PM

  LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Two days after a deadly UPS plane disaster, a candlelight vigil was held Thursday in Louisville, Kentucky, to remember the victims and thank first responders, while teams still worked to find or identify people caught in the crash and subsequent firestorm. “Our hope is that... more »

• State officials downplay arsenic found in Tangipahoa River seafood after Smittys Supply explosion

  November 1, 2025 8:49 PM

  ROSELAND ( La. Illuminator ) — Seafood tissue samples taken from the Tangipahoa River last month contained harmful levels of arsenic in five of the 13 samples tested, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality reported. It’s the latest update from state officials on the river’s health after the Aug.... more »

• Tangipahoa River reopens to public while crews continue cleanup after Smitty's Supply explosion Play Video

  October 31, 2025 2:43 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Tangipahoa River reopened to the public on Friday, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the Tangipahoa Parish Government announced. This announcement comes more than two months after an explosion at Smitty's Supply polluted the river. While the river is now open from Lees... more »

• Smitty's Supply sues boiler companies over faulty equipment they say led to explosion Play Video

  October 14, 2025 4:31 PM

  ROSELAND — Smitty's Supply, Inc. announced Tuesday that it filed a lawsuit against two other companies for selling and installing faulty equipment, which Smitty's says led to the late-August series of explosions that has devastated the Roseland community. Smitty's said it has sued Fulton Boiler Works, Inc. and J&M... more »

• Roseland protestors ask governor, EPA to take action as US 51 remains closed 50 days after explosion Play Video

  October 14, 2025 12:48 PM

  ROSELAND — More than 50 days after an explosion at the Smitty's Supply plant in Roseland, community members gathered Tuesday to protest the still-closed stretch of U.S. 51. The demonstrators gathered at the corner of La. 1048 and U.S. 51, the latter of which has been closed since the... more »

• Independent tester warns that toxic chemicals are still showing up after Smitty's Supply explosion Play Video

  October 12, 2025 11:16 AM

  KENTWOOD - Almost two months after the Smitty's Supply explosion, an independent tester warned the community that toxic chemicals were still showing up downstream. Residents gathered at the First Baptist Church in Kentwood on Saturday for the third community meeting with independent environmental tester Scott Smith. Smith presented... more »

• Gov. Landry, EPA give update on cleanup efforts more than a month after Smitty's Supply explosion Play Video

  October 1, 2025 12:37 PM

  AMITE — State and federal officials said Wednesday they have cleaned up more than 4 million gallons of oil more than a month after explosions at Smitty's Supply polluted the area with an oily chemical residue, but they are still just three-quarters of the way finished. WATCH THE PRESS... more »

• EPA withholds list of chemicals in Smitty's Supply fire, citing 'confidential business information' Play Video

  September 25, 2025 5:23 PM

  Federal officials have not yet made public the list of hazardous materials present at a Tangipahoa Parish petroleum products plant that caught fire and exploded last month, saying that doing so might reveal “confidential business information.” The Environmental Protection Agency, which has led disaster response efforts and all public... more »

• Roseland business has stayed closed since explosion Play Video

  September 22, 2025 6:59 PM

  ROSELAND - A month ago, an explosion at Smitty's Supply led to a fire that lasted nearly two weeks. While testing is still being done to determine if there are long-lasting effects of the explosion and chemical spill, a business owner near Smitty's says it could be months before she... more »

• LDEQ to test seafood for contamination from Smitty's Supply explosion Play Video

  September 19, 2025 2:56 PM

  BATON ROUGE — A state agency began testing seafood from areas affected by last month's Smitty's Supply explosions in Roseland for potential contamination. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality said it started collecting samples Thursday from the Tangipahoa River and Lake Pontchartrain, near the mouth of the river. The... more »

• Roseland residents react to results from independent test of Smitty's Supply Play Video

  September 10, 2025 12:34 AM

  ROSELAND- At a community meeting on Tuesday, residents learned about potential contaminants that may have been released into the air, water, and soil during the August explosion at Smitty's Supply, as determined through independent testing by an environmental advocate. Scott Smith, a contamination expert not affiliated with the EPA,... more »

• Small Business Administration offering relief for La. small businesses affected by Smitty's explosion Play Video

  September 9, 2025 5:29 PM

  ROSELAND - The Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans to small businesses and private non-profit organizations affected by the Smitty's Supply explosion. The disaster declaration covers the Louisiana parishes of Jefferson, Livingston, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington as... more »

• Two weeks after Smitty's explosion, Roseland still not easily accessible from all directions

  September 5, 2025 4:09 PM

  ROSELAND — Two weeks after explosions and an ongoing fire at Smitty's Supply in Roseland, two major highways are still closed. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development said Friday that response teams were working at the site of the Aug. 22 explosion. Motorists on U.S. 51 and La.... more »

• Smitty's Supply employee recounts fast evacuation of facility Play Video

  August 26, 2025 4:51 PM

  ROSELAND - One of the employees who first saw the fire at Smitty's Supply on Friday said he worked quickly to help his coworkers evacuate. For 11 years, Jessie Hughes has worked around flammable products, blending oil at the facility in Roseland. That's what he was doing when he... more »

• Roseland residents return after Smitty's Supply fire, facing soot, oil, and health concerns Play Video

  August 25, 2025 5:51 PM

  ROSELAND – Residents who were forced to evacuate Friday night after the fire at Smitty’s Supply are finally back in their homes, but many say what they’ve returned to is worse than they expected. A one-mile evacuation zone was ordered after flames broke out at the chemical distributor. The... more »

• Former Smitty's employee 'not surprised' by explosion Play Video

  August 25, 2025 5:19 PM

  ROSELAND — While the public waits for an explanation into what caused a massive explosion at Smitty's in Roseland, a former employee tells the WBRZ Investigative Unit it was only a matter of time. The employee, whom we will refer to by her last name, 'Padilla,' worked as an... 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 »

• 'We have to clean up a big mess:' Agencies, locals still working to clear Roseland after explosion Play Video

  August 25, 2025 7:58 AM

  AMITE — After three days of a mandatory one-mile evacuation zone following an explosion at a facility in Roseland, Tangipahoa Parish officials said Monday that now only the roads and area closest to the incident site are under an evacuation order. WATCH THE GOVERNOR'S PRESS CONFERENCE HERE ... more »

• 'Take the time to document it:' Attorney advises Tangipahoa residents following Roseland explosion Play Video

  August 24, 2025 4:19 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Attorneys in the capital region are urging those impacted by Friday's explosion in Roseland to document damages as the fallout continues. WBRZ spoke to Misti Bryant, managing attorney at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys. She said their office has already received calls from people in Tangipahoa Parish... more »

• Evacuation order still in place as officials provide update on day 3 of Smitty's Supply fire Play Video

  August 24, 2025 1:17 PM

  ROSELAND — Officials provided an update Sunday on the fire at Smitty's Supply Inc. in Roseland after an explosion there forced evacuations and environmental impacts. According to Louisiana State Police, the fire remained at 90% contained as of noon on Sunday. Officials put in place a containment barrier around... 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 »

• Explosion at US Steel plant in Pennsylvania leaves 1 dead and dozens hurt or trapped under rubble Play Video

  August 11, 2025 2:50 PM

  PITTSBURGH (AP) — An explosion at a U.S. Steel plant near Pittsburgh left one dead and dozens injured or trapped under the rubble Monday, with emergency workers on site trying to rescue victims, officials said. The explosion sent black smoke spiralling into the midday sky in the Monongahela Valley,... more »

• Father suffers burns after dropping children from second-story porch during house fire; family dog dies Play Video

  July 7, 2025 3:36 AM

  PIERRE PART - Two children were able to escape a large house fire this weekend thanks to their parents. Crews responded to the home on Eagle Point Drive around 11:30 p.m. Saturday night. When they arrived, they found the home fully engulfed. Camp owners Chelsea and Tyler Teague... more »

• Camper trailer explosion in Thibodaux leaves 63-year-old man dead, according to officials

  March 13, 2025 5:30 PM

  THIBODAUX — A Thibodaux man is dead after a camper trailer exploded on Wednesday, the Fire Marshal's office said. The St. John Fire Department responded to a trailer fire on Greenwood Plantation Road in Thibodaux around 3 p.m. Firefighters arrived to find the camper on fire and the victim... more »

• Deputies in Livingston Parish say they investigated report of explosion overnight Play Video

  January 17, 2025 11:11 AM

  LIVINGSTON - Deputies in Livingston Parish received reports of an explosion on Red Oak Road in the town of Livingston on Thursday night. Deputies said they found a white truck and its driver just north of Interstate 12 that was determined to be the source of the explosion report.... more »

• Two injured with second-degree burns after a heater blew up in a Plaquemine home Play Video

  January 4, 2025 6:28 PM

  PLAQUEMINE — Two people were brought to the hospital Saturday evening after a heater blew up in the front bedroom of a Plaquemine home on La. 1. An Acadian Ambulance Service spokesperson said that the two people were transported with second-degree burns and inhalation damage. Police and firefighters... more »

• Man in Cybertruck was shot in head before explosion outside Trumps Las Vegas hotel, sheriff says Play Video

  January 1, 2025 4:38 PM

  LAS VEGAS (AP) — The person inside the Tesla Cybertruck that burst into flames outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel suffered a gunshot to the head before the explosion, officials said Thursday. Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said at a news conference that a handgun was found at... more »

• Highway in Pointe Coupee closed due to gas leak

  December 5, 2024 8:25 AM

  BATCHELOR - Highway 417 near Gus Lacy Road in Pointe Coupee Parish was closed Thursday morning due to a gas leak. Pointe Coupee Fire Districts said the gas main was busted Thursday morning, and due to the amount of gas being leaked into the air and its pressure, officials... more »

• WATCH: Tornado causes large explosion near Nashville on Saturday Play Video

  December 10, 2023 9:08 PM

  NASHVILLE, TN - Striking footage is giving us a glimpse of what "blowing up" a tornado might do. The video reveals the tornado as it passed through a north Nashville neighborhood on Saturday, eventually causing an electrical explosion. The explosion left behind a massive fireball and black smoke. Immediately after,... more »

• Burning 18-wheeler shut down I-12 east for hours Play Video

  April 25, 2022 7:44 AM

  BATON ROUGE - An 18-wheeler burst into flames on I-12 early Monday morning, blocking traffic heading out of Baton Rouge for about two hours. The fire was first reported shortly after 6 a.m. on I-12 east just past the I-10/I-12 split. Traffic cameras in the area captured the semi... more »

• Ascension Parish officials investigate reported sound of "explosion" near LA-933

  December 11, 2021 9:18 PM

  PRAIRIEVILLE - Ascension Parish authorities on Saturday evening responded to several calls regarding the sound of an explosion in the Prairieville area, near Galvez Middle School on LA-933. The noise occurred around 7 p.m., and deputies with Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office (APSO) promptly investigated the sound. As of... more »

• Two deadly explosions rock Uganda's capital city

  November 16, 2021 6:01 AM

  KAMPALA, Uganda - At least two people were reportedly killed early Tuesday in Uganda's capital city when two explosions occurred within 30 minutes of each other. According to CNN , b oth bombs exploded in Kampala, one around 10 a.m. (local time) very close to the Ugandan parliament, which... more »

• Former flight attendant explains how passengers survived fiery plane crash Play Video

  October 19, 2021 7:34 PM

  BATON ROUGE - From looking at the smoldering remains of the plane, it's hard to believe anyone walked away. "Had you not told me that there were survivors before, I probably would have said it was very unlikely that there would have been survivors," said Angel Hawk, a former... more »

• Ten injured in explosion at Kentucky Dippin' Dots production facility

  July 22, 2021 12:44 PM

  PADUCAH, Kentucky - A Kentucky facility owned by Dippin' Dots became the site of an explosion that left ten people injured on Wednesday afternoon, according to Kentucky ABC affiliate, WTVQ . The news outlet said a truck was unloading liquid nitrogen at a facility in the state's southwest city... more »

• One dead after truck's gas tank explodes in overnight wreck; at-fault driver charged with DWI

  May 11, 2021 2:54 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A man died after another vehicle rear-ended his truck, causing its gas tank to burst into flames while he was still inside, police said. The Baton Rouge Police Department said the wreck happened after 10 p.m. Monday on Plank Road. Kevin Blakes, 53, was killed in... more »

• VIDEO: Coast Guard rescues 4 from burning boat near Gulf coast Play Video

  December 14, 2020 11:37 PM

  FORT MORGAN, Ala. - The U.S. Coast Guard rescued four boaters Monday after their vessel became engulfed in flames off the coast of Alabama. The Coast Guard said it was alerted to the incident around 6:45 p.m. near Fort Morgan. Two helicopter crews conducting training exercises nearby were diverted... more »

• One of the largest jury tampering sanctions issued in state court history Play Video

  February 13, 2020 5:17 PM

  PLAQUEMINE - One of the largest jury tampering sanctions issued in a civil trial happened last week in Iberville Parish. The case involves the 2013 deadly plant explosion on the Ascension-Iberville Parish line and the plaintiff was ordered to pay more than $700,000. On June 13, 2013, the Williams... more »

• Amid outcry, new tarp placed over exposed body at Hard Rock collapse site

  January 22, 2020 3:48 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Hours after officials said it would be too dangerous to attempt to place another cover over a dead body at the unstable Hard Rock collapse site, the city appears to have done just that. The ongoing saga concerning the downtown New Orleans hotel took a morbid... more »

• New Orleans officials plan to implode Hard Rock Hotel

  January 17, 2020 5:53 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - City officials announced Friday they plan to implode what remains of the collapsed Hard Rock Hotel in March, according to WWL-TV. New Orleans Fire Department Superintendent Timothy McConnell told reporters Friday the city believes imploding the structure is the safest option. The previous plan from the... more »

• No off-site impact after incident at Dow Sunday morning Play Video

  November 3, 2019 9:41 AM

  PLAQUEMINE – Flaring and steam was seen Sunday from a unit at Dow that was the site of a mishap earlier in the day. People in West Baton Rouge, Iberville and across the river in EBR heard and felt what the plant called a “rupture” around 8 a.m. Sunday.... more »

• ExxonMobil denied appeal in explosion lawsuit Play Video

  March 19, 2019 7:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE - More than 25 years after a fatal explosion at its Scenic Highway refinery, the Louisiana Supreme Court has rejected ExxonMobil’s request for a new hearing in a lawsuit filed by 8.500 residents in response to the blast. The Aug. 2, 1993 explosion at the plant's East... more »

• Study: I-10 ranked one of the most dangerous highways in the nation

  November 13, 2017 3:35 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Numbers show that one of the busiest interstates in South Louisiana is also one of the deadliest in the country. According to a study by Teletrac Navman , I-10 is ranked the sixth deadliest highway in the U.S. when it comes to death per mile. Data shows... more »

• Officials: Paradis pipeline fire contained, missing worker presumed dead

  February 11, 2017 10:14 PM

  PARADIS - Officials say the fire at the Phillips 66 Partners Paradis Pipeline Station is contained and continues to burn at a reduced size. Ongoing air monitoring of the area indicates no health impacts to the surrounding community. The evacuation order was lifted Friday morning... more »

• Evacuation lifted after Paradis pipeline fire; worker remains hospitalized Play Video

  February 9, 2017 8:56 PM

  PARADIS - An evacuation has been lifted in St. Charles Parish following a fire at the Phillips 66 pipeline near the Williams Discovery Plant on Thursday evening. The pipeline has been blocked and the product in the line continues to burn, as water can not be used to extinguish the... more »

• Three killed in DeRidder mill explosion

  February 8, 2017 1:38 PM

  DERIDDER- Three have been killed in an explosion at Packaging Corporation of America in Beauregard Parish. Seven others were injured as a result. Another person was declared missing following the explosion but was found around 2:50 p.m. Wednesday. Emergency crews were called to Packaging Corporation of America, on... more »

• Three injured in blast at 'small' oil facility

  January 20, 2017 3:39 PM

  WHITE CASTLE - Three workers sustained injuries after an explosion at an oil storage tank facility Friday. The blast happened at a group of storage tanks on River Road downriver from White Castle but before Donaldsonville. Sources said the incident was in the 33000 block of La. 405. A... more »

• Baton Rouge chemical plant to experience intermittent flaring

  January 13, 2017 1:15 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The ExxonMobil Baton Rouge chemical plant will experience intermittent flaring over the weekend. A public affairs manager from ExxonMobil says the flares are a result of scheduled maintenance activities over the next couple days. Flares are primarily safety control devices intended to consume excess hydrocarbons during... more »

• Remnants of Clean Burning Ignitor destroyed at Camp Minden

  November 2, 2016 9:45 PM

  PINEVILLE - All remaining traces of Clean Burning Ignitor at Camp Minded have been destroyed following two large magazine burns conducted earlier in the week. A spokesperson for the Louisiana National guard says Explosive Ordance Disposal personnel from the Army's 797th Ordnance Company and 79th Ordnance Battalion in Forth... more »

• Federal investigators release final report on 2013 plant explosion

  October 19, 2016 12:45 PM

  GIESMAR – A federal agency says mistakes that led to a deadly 2013 explosion at a Louisiana petrochemical plant revealed a poor "safety culture" at the plant. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board's report, issued Wednesday, says safety management at the Williams Olefins Plant in Geismar has improved. However, it also... more »

• ABC Sources: 5 People In Custody In Connection With NY Bombing

  September 18, 2016 11:18 PM

  NEW YORK - Five people were taken into custody Sunday night in connection with Saturday's explosion in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, following a traffic stop conducted by the FBI and NYPD on the Verrazano–Narrows Bridge, which connects the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island , sources tell ABC... more »

• Belgium media reports explosion at sports stadium

  August 25, 2016 9:36 PM

  BRUSSELS - A Belgian newspaper is reporting that an explosion has rocked a sports center in the Belgian town of Chimay, with reports of at least one person dead and two injured. Het Laatse Niews quoted a rescue services spokesman as saying early Friday that the blast happened just after... more »

• Explosive hazard in storm drains prompt neighborhood shelter-in-place

  November 13, 2015 9:31 PM

  LULING - People who live around an elementary school here were urged to shelter-in-place Friday night after an explosive hazard was found in storm drains of their neighborhood. The alert was for people on Courville Drive and the 800 block of Collier Drive. The streets are in the area... more »

• Company IDs workers killed in plant explosion

  October 9, 2015 11:33 AM

  GIBSON - Company officials identified two workers who died in an explosion Thursday at a natural gas plant in Terrebonne Parish. Officials with Danos said 40-year-old Samuel Brinlee of Berwick and 36-year-old Casey Ordoyne of Larose died in the explosion at the Williams Fields gas plant, according to WWL-TV.... more »

• Update: 3 dead, 2 hurt in plant explosion

  October 8, 2015 1:49 PM

  GIBSON - Authorities said three people died and two others were seriously injured in an explosion at a natural gas plant in Terrebonne Parish Thursday. A representative for the Williams Field Services confirmed the deaths during a press conference Thursday afternoon in Gibson. The plant said contract workers were... more »

• Plant explosion victim son of elected official Play Video

  September 4, 2015 3:07 PM

  GEISMAR - The most seriously injured worker from Thursday night's plant explosion in Geismar is the son of Kenny Matassa, mayor pro tem of Gonzales and a candidate for parish president, according to a representative for his family. Anna White with Matassa's campaign said his youngest son, 34-year-old Nick... more »

• Four injured, one severely after plant explosion

  September 4, 2015 1:30 AM

  GEISMAR - Authorities in Ascension Parish said four plant workers were injured, one of them severely, when a high-pressure hydrogen line exploded at a plant in Geismar overnight. The explosion caused a fire at the Renewable Energy Group plant around 11 p.m. according to Ascension Parish Sheriff Jeff Wiley.... more »