Lightning ignites chaos as evacuations and shelter-in-place orders persist in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

The video was filmed in Louisiana in the US on June 3. The city became shrouded in a plume of smoke, courtesy of a single-tank fire that erupted at the Calcasieu Refining Co. tank farm.

Miraculously, no injuries have been reported, but the refinery remained tight-lipped, declining to comment on the unfolding catastrophe.

For those residing within a 1.5-mile radius of the tank farm, mandatory evacuations became an unfortunate reality. As the Lake Charles Fire Department diligently worked to maintain safety, the outer boundaries of the shelter-in-place order were reduced from 5 miles to 3 miles. The fiery inferno continued to rage into the late hours of the evening, prompting concerns and heightened alertness.

In a heartbreaking turn of events, approximately 70 residents of assisted living facilities were among those displaced, their lives upended in the face of danger.

To provide a haven for those forced to evacuate, the Burton Coliseum opened its doors, offering temporary shelter from the chaos. Meanwhile, the region experienced a barrage of lightning strikes as a turbulent front of unstable air journeyed eastward, generating severe thunderstorms, hail, and the looming threat of flash flooding, as reported by the National Weather Service.

Port Director Ricky Self divulged that the grounds had witnessed another fire just days before, possibly originating in an area where motor oil was stored for company vehicles. The intricate web of events remained shrouded in uncertainty, leaving investigators puzzled as to any potential correlation between the fires.

Evacuations and shelter-in-place orders were issued for residents and businesses around Lake Charles, Louisiana, after a crude oil tank fire broke out at the Calcasieu refining plant on Saturday, June 3.

Officials said lightning triggered the blaze. No injuries have been reported.



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NOTE: looped video

Video Location: Lake Charles, Louisiana, US
Video Recording Date/Time: June 3, 2023 at 15:51h
Country: United States