The massive fire overnight Tuesday at the ExxonMobil Refinery in Baton Rouge is suspected of releasing cancer-causing chemicals benzene and 1,3 butadiene, as well as other chemicals that are toxic at high enough concentrations, a Louisiana State Police report says.
But the amounts of those releases are unclear and likely will remain so for about a week, when ExxonMobil provides estimates to state regulators in what's known as a "seven-day" report.
State officials have said the blaze likely combusted many of those harmful chemicals, converting them into other materials — some of which are also toxic. Air monitoring inside, around and away from the plant did not detect harmful concentrations of chemicals being released into the air or among the broader public, according to state officials and public data.