Employee describes escaping after explosion at Smitty’s Supply
"There was a lot of people panicking and running around
By Jasmine Franklin
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ROSELAND, Louisiana (WDSU) — Jessie Hughes worked at Smitty’s Supply for more than a decade,
“There was a lot of people panicking and running around,” Hughes said.
Friday is a day he will never forget.
“That’s when I noticed that the flames had caught over to the mix tank, the mix tank is where we mix all the oil,” Hughes said.
He describes the moments he saw an oil tank on fire, causing this massive explosion.
“It was a lot of flames, so I knew if I didn’t hurry up, it would be bad because we have a lot of gas treatments around, so really flammable,” Hughes said.
Hughes said while the flames grew and the heat amped up around him, he helped his co-workers escape, before calling police to report the explosion.
“I kind of was moving at an expeditious pace because, trying to get everyone out quickly, so it was kind of nerve-wracking,” Hughes said.
Thankfully, everyone made it out safely, and no injuries were reported. But now Hughes, along with more than 400 employees, are searching for a new place to work.
“It’s real nerve-racking not knowing where your next dime is coming from, that last week you had a job and today you don’t,” Hughes said.
The explosion prompted a mandatory evacuation order for people who live within a 1 mile radius of the plant, including a nearby elementary school.
“You know we plan for these things, but we’ve never had an event of an explosion happening near a school,” said Superintendent Melissa Stilley.
School leaders say Roseland Elementary will remain closed on Monday, as crews test air quality inside the building, while cleaning up black oil residue around the campus from the explosion.
“We want to make sure it’s properly cleaned and removed before we have students and teachers come back to the campus,” Stilley said.
While it was a close call for employees at Smitty’s Supply, Hughes, along with many others, is just grateful to be alive.
“Thank god for life, but we still have responsibilities also,” Stilley said.
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