WAFB 9 News Baton Rouge, Louisiana News, Weather, Sports

PARADIS, La. –(WVUE) A large fire at a pipeline near Paradis injured two workers and left one unaccounted for Thursday night. Highway 90 and Highway 631 was closed in both directions, and nearby residents were evacuated, according to St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne.

The explosion happened just before 7 p.m. at a Phillips 66 pipeline. A total of six workers from two companies – Phillips Petroleum and Blanchard Contractors – were cleaning the line when a valve or gasket failed, Champagne said. The more seriously injured worker was airlifted to a burn unit. There was no further information on the missing worker.

A parish media release read, in part:“Officials have shut down highway 90 and highway 631 in both directions from Bayou Gauche Road to JB Green. Residents in that area have been asked to evacuate. The general public is NOT advised to take any protective measures at this time. Residents are asked to monitor local media for more information as it becomes available.”

The Edward A. Dufresne Community Center at  274 Judge Edward Parkway in Luling is serving as a shelter.

Champagne said the fire was 30-40 feet wide and just as high. He said it could burn for hours or even days, and that the safest course of action was to let it burn itself out.

“Number one, it’s too hot to get near,” Champagne said. “It is a large blowtorch at this point. It is burning clean, but it is not safe to go near it.”

FOX 8 News has a crew on the scene and Fox8live.com is updating this story continuously as details become available. Refresh the page for the latest.