Chemical Plant Explosion Rocks Neighborhood, Sends 4 to Hospital

New Orleans, LAAn industrial accident has sent four people to hospital and forced evacuations as much as a mile from the factory, MSNBC.com is reporting today. The explosion occured at a chemical factory in an industrial park near the outskirts of New Orleans. The four injured workers were flown to burn units.

Sheriffs from Iberia Parish have closed highway 182 on the west of the town, roughly 75 miles west of New Orleans.

The explosion occurred about 4:00 pm local time. Blasts coming from the plant could be heard up to 20 minutes later, with locals reporting that they sounded like thunder. The fires rose above the treeline, according to one eyewitness.

According to a spokesperson for Multi-Chem Group in Houston, the company is gathering information about the accident. The company is based in San Angelo, TX, and makes oilfield production chemicals