| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 7854 | 2011-04-28 | Troop I | ***UPDATE*** Phased Reentry Plan for Well Blowout |
| LOUISIANA STATE POLICE COURTESY LOYALTY SERVICE Colonel Michael D. Edmonson, Superintendent Troop I Press Release April 28, 2011 ***UPDATE*** Phased Reentry Plan Crews working at the well site have secured the blown out well. Currently, Louisiana State Police, in conjunction with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, will be allowing residents to return to their homes. Anyone wishing to return to their home is asked to go to Judice Middle School, 2645 South Fieldspan Road Duson, LA, and bring photo identification. Once at Judice Middle School, residents will meet with a Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s deputy who will give them directions. They will be escorted to their home where the air quality will be monitored. Once the home is deemed safe, they will be allowed to enter the residence. This process will take some time and we are asking people to be patient as crews escort people back to their homes. Safety is our number one priority and we want to make sure there is no home left unchecked. If anyone has mud or debris in their yard, on their vehicle, or their residence they are asked not to touch it and to call 1-800-594-2210 for clean-up. While the mud is not hazardous, we want to make sure the appropriate steps are taken to remove it from the property. ***UPDATE*** Road Closure Update The following intersections still remain closed due to the natural gas well blowout: Fieldspan Road at Bourque Road Bourque Road at Lancaster Road Denias Road at Leblanc Road Langeaux Road at Opus Road Anyone affected by the well blowout may call CEL Properties at 1-800-594-2210 for information. They may also go to their office which will be set up at the Judice Volunteer Fire Department, 401 Ranch Road Duson, LA. The office will open tomorrow April 29, 2011, at 8:00 a.m. Company representatives will be on hand to answer any questions people may have.
April 27, 2011 ***UPDATE*** Evacuation Area Reduced Louisiana State Police Emergency Services Technicians have reduced the evacuation area to approximately 40 homes, or a one-half mile radius around the site. The following roads are still closed and will remain closed throughout the night: Jones Road at Fieldspan Road Bourque Road at Fieldspan Road Denias Road at Leblanc Road Bourque Road at Lancaster Road Breaux Road at Bellplain Road Langneaux Road at Breaux Road The current evacuation area will remain in place through the night. Workers at the site will have to stop work at sundown, but will resume operations at sunrise tomorrow. Currently the well has stopped releasing natural gas but is still unsecure. Once work resumes in the morning, crews will have a better idea when people can return to their homes. A Red Cross shelter remains in place at Judice Elementary. Anyone needing assistance may go to the school. Well Blowout in Lafayette Parish Results in Several Evacuations Today, Louisiana State Police Troop I and Emergency Services Technicians, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette Haz-Mat, Acadian Ambulance, and several volunteer fire departments from Lafayette Parish responded to the 1100 block of Bourque Road for a well blowout. When deputies arrived on scene, they began securing the area and speaking with well personnel and Haz-Mat crews to determine an area of evacuation. Deputies with Lafayette Sheriff’s Office began evacuating homes within a one-mile radius of the blowout. It is estimated that over 100 homes have been evacuated as a safety precaution. Also deputies and troopers closed several roads in the evacuated area. The current road closures are: Golden Grain Road at Fieldspan Road Odessa Road at Sellers Road Monte Road at Lagneaux Road Bourque Road at Lagneaux Road Denais Road at Leblanc Road Emergency Services Technicians are in contact with company representatives from Precision Drilling, the owners of the rig, as well as CEL Properties, owners of the well, and are working to determine the best course of action to cap the well. Currently there is no time frame for when residents may return to their homes. However, the personnel working at the site, which includes Wild Well Control, are working diligently to reopen the area and allow people to return to their homes. State police will continue to work with the local law enforcement agencies to make sure that all homes and people in the area are kept out of harms way. There is a shelter set up at Judice Middle School, 2645 South Fieldspan, with Red Cross and Lafayette Office of Emergency Preparedness on hand to assist people in the effected area. We will keep you updated as more information becomes available. For More Information Contact: | |||
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