MOSCOW (MRC) -- Firefighters put down a fire early Tuesday morning at a Westlake Chemical production plant in Plaquemine, LA, reported PowderBulkSolids with reference to several local news organizations.
The company issued a statement saying the blaze started in a vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) unit at the facility at about 4:15 a.m. Fire crews contained the flames to the area of the unit and brought the scene under control by 6:30 a.m., CBS News affiliate WAFB reported. A subsidiary of Westlake, Axiall Corporation, appears to be the operator of the Plaquemine plant, according to information on the company's website.
No injuries were logged during the incident, but a road near to the plant was briefly closed as a precaution.
Officials told news broadcaster WBRZ that fence line monitoring devices indicate no harmful substances were released during the fire.
The cause of the fire remains unknown.
In February 2018, as MRC informed before, Westlake Chemical announced plans to expand its capacities for the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and VCM at three of its chemical facilities. Two of the plants are located in Germany (Burghausen, Gendorf) and one is located in Geismar, Louisiana. The expansions in Burghausen and Geismar are expected to be completed in 2019. The Gendorf expansions are expected to be completed in 2020 and 2021.
Westlake Chemical Corporation is an international manufacturer and supplier of petrochemicals, polymers and building products with headquarters in Houston, Texas. The company's range of products includes: ethylene, polyethylene, styrene, propylene, chlor-alkali and derivative products, PVC suspension and specialty resins, PVC Compounds, and PVC building products including siding, pipe, fittings and specialty components, windows, fence, deck and film.
MRC