Month: August 2025

A massive fire continues to burn at a Louisiana plant following an explosion on Friday, prompting authorities to maintain an evacuation order for everyone living within a one-mile radius of the site.

The explosion occurred at Smitty’s Supply, a lubricant production facility located in Roseland, Tangipahoa Parish. According to its website, Smitty’s Supply manufactures and distributes lubricants, including motor oil, and employs about 400 people.  The incident was first reported just before 1 p.m. Friday, Parish President Robby Miller said. Soon after, officials ordered a mandatory evacuation for those nearby, later extending it to cover a one-mile radius.

According to Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Gerald Sticker, 42 people had taken shelter, with a total of approximately 800 residents impacted by the blast. The Louisiana State Police announced in a statement that crews reported that the blaze was about 90% contained as of Saturday night: “teams have worked tirelessly all day and will continue overnight to strengthen containment lines and assist with recovery.” Smaller secondary explosions continued overnight, which officials said was consistent with earlier activity since the fire began.

Deputies are keeping a perimeter around the area as firefighters continue battling the flames, with authorities warning residents to avoid direct exposure to soot from the fire, which is believed to include hydrocarbons and other combustible materials. Louisiana State Police Sgt. William Huggins advised residents to limit outdoor activity, wash their hands often, avoid touching their faces, and steer clear of soot whenever possible. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported.

Officials are also investigating debris found in the Tangipahoa River and plan to test water samples to evaluate environmental impacts. The contents of the soot remain under review. Air monitoring results so far have shown readings “below an actionable threshold,” according to Huggins. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has been monitoring the area, but the cause of the explosion is still unknown.

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New York State Police have identified the five people killed after a tour bus returning from a trip to Niagara Falls overturned in upstate New York on Friday, injuring dozens of others.

New York State Police Trooper James O’Callaghan said during a press briefing that the deadly crash occurred on Interstate 90 in Pembroke, near Buffalo. The bus was traveling eastbound back to New York City after visiting Niagara Falls, carrying 54 people (including the driver and tour guide) when the “vehicle lost control, went into the median, over-corrected, and ended up in the ditch.” Multiple people were ejected or thrown around the bus when it overturned, with dozens hospitalized for their injuries, including several children. Passengers ranged in age from 1 to 74.

State police later identified those killed in the crash: Columbia University student Xie Hongzhuo, 22, of Beijing, China; Shankar Kumar Jha, 65, of Madhubani, India; Pinki Changrani, 60, of East Brunswick, New Jersey; Zhang Xiaolan, 55, of Jersey City, New Jersey; and Jian Mingli, 56, of Jersey City.

Columbia University said in a statement Saturday: “We are devastated by the death of one of our students, Xie Hongzhuo, in the tragic bus accident near Buffalo on Friday. This heartbreaking loss is felt deeply across our community. We are in close contact with her family and offering them our full support. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with her family, friends, and all who have been touched by this tragedy.”

Erie County Medical Center received 21 passengers who were hospitalized for injuries, and shared that 14 patients remained at the hospital as of Saturday afternoon in stable condition.

The cause of the collision is still under investigation, and did not involved any other vehicles. Authorities said that “it’s believed the operator became distracted, lost control, over-corrected and ended up on the right shoulder there. The bus operator was identified as 55-year-old Bin Shao of Flushing, New York, and police say that he had no signs of impairment, and the tour bus had no mechanical failure. No charges have been filed as of press time.

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