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BioLab fire causes shelter-in-place in Westlake, shuts down I-10
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UPDATE, 7/2/24, 11:30 a.m.: The shelter-in-place has been lifted and I-10 is now open, according to State Police.
UPDATE, 7/2/24, 11 a.m.: According to Louisiana State Police, the fire is 90% contained. Shelter-in-place has been extended to a 1/2 mile radius from BioLab. No residential areas in Westlake are included at this time, officials said.
I-10 is shut down from mile marker 25 to 35. Traffic is being rerouted to I-210.
ORIGINAL STORY: WESTLAKE, La. (KLFY) -- Some residents in Westlake are being asked to stay in their homes and offices as a precautionary measure this morning, officials said.
The Calcasieu Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness (OHSEP) is currently investigating a warehouse fire at the BioLab facility in Westlake.
OHSEP Director Jared Maze said they are still working to determine if there is any offsite impact but they have placed a precautionary shelter-in-place for the area .25 miles south of the facility.
BioLab is an industrial area on the service road south of I-10.
According to a statement from a BioLab spokesman, no injuries have been reported.
"BioLab is actively investigating the origin of smoke emanating from our Lake Charles facility," the statement reads. "All of our employees are accounted for with no injuries reported. As always, the safety and well-being of our community in Lake Charles remains of the utmost importance, and we have deployed our own specialized experts onsite to work cooperatively with first responders and local authorities in order to address the incident."
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.