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ST. BERNARD PARISH – Firefighters are currently battling a three-alarm fire at at the Domino Sugar Refinery, in Arabi.

According to Parish President Guy McInnis, an explosion was reported around 4 P.M. which resulted in the fire.

Reports show that everyone was evacuated from the building, and a head count was completed.

There have been no injuries reported.

Those in the area are being asked to shelter in place as a precaution, although sources say there is no dangerous chemicals at the refinery.

Please find below a statement from American Sugar Refining, Inc., owner of the Chalmette Refinery:

A sugar silo at the Chalmette Refinery in Arabi was reported on fire at 3:49 pm on Thursday. The St. Bernard Fire Department was immediately contacted and the refinery was evacuated.  All 130 employees are accounted for and no injuries occurred.

The fire was extinguished with additional assistance from the Valero Refinery Fire Department at approximately 6:30 pm. The fire service is on site and carrying out a thermal-imaging assessment in the silos and surrounding buildings to confirm the site is clear.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

While two exterior refined sugar silos were affected, the amount of stored sugar was de minimis, because the majority of the refinery’s products are shipped to customers or outside warehouses as they are produced.