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Explosions at Louisiana oil supply company spark evacuations; no injuries reported

Published on

August 22, 2025

Credit: Chris Owens

At least one mile around an oil and lubricants facility in Roseland, Louisiana, was evacuated after explosions and a massive fire erupted at the site, according to officials. No injuries have been reported.

Tangipahoa Parish Chief Executive Officer Robby Miller said the fire broke out at Smitty’s Supply in Roseland shortly before 1 p.m. on Friday. An evacuation order was first issued for the immediate area and later expanded to a one-mile radius around the site.

A command center was established, and multiple agencies, including the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and state police, are monitoring the situation.

“The best news we have is that as of right now there have been no injuries,” Miller said, noting that roughly 400 employees work at the facility.

Firefighters have been battling the blaze for hours, supported by agencies from neighboring parishes.

According to WBRZ, explosions continued into the afternoon, prompting firefighters to pull back from the site. Residents in Amite, about three miles south, reported an oily residue falling onto cars, homes, and swimming pools.

Roseland is a small town in Tangipahoa Parish, located about 70 miles north of New Orleans. The community of fewer than 1,200 residents lies along Interstate 55 in southeastern Louisiana.

Authorities said environmental monitoring is ongoing and the cause of the fire has not yet been determined.