Doyline evacuation extended through Thursday - WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

Doyline evacuation extended through Thursday

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By Carolyn Roy - bio | email
Louisiana State Police say this photo shows hundreds of thousands of pounds of improperly stored explosive materials on properly leased by Explo Systems, Inc. at Camp Minden (Source: Louisiana State Police) Louisiana State Police say this photo shows hundreds of thousands of pounds of improperly stored explosive materials on properly leased by Explo Systems, Inc. at Camp Minden (Source: Louisiana State Police)
(Source: Louisiana State Police) (Source: Louisiana State Police)

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DOYLINE, LA (KSLA) -

The voluntary evacuation in Doyline has been extended through Thursday and could continue into Friday, according to Webster Parish Sheriff Gary Sexton.

School has also been canceled at least through Thursday, and voting for both precincts in the general election coming up this weekend in Doyline has been moved to Westlake Baptist Church, which is about 2 miles south of town.

Explo employees, under the supervision of the Louisiana State Police, continue to work to move and secure 6 million pounds of M6, a smokeless black powder used in munitions.

As of Tuesday, crews had segregated or safely stored 1.26 million pounds. Sexton says they moved 405,000 pounds on Tuesday alone. 

Louisiana State Police Lt. Julie Lewis says there have been no unexpected delays in operations due to weather. However, things have slowed down as the operation moves into the buildings where the product will be stored. Lewis says the hallways in the bunkers are narrow, allowing only one forklift at a time. They are also finding some containers have lost their structural integrity, so workers are having to stop and repackage it before they can move on.

Crews will suspend efforts to relocate the M6 propellant into bunkers if lightning is spotted within five miles of the site.

The discovery last Tuesday of the improperly stored material at the Camp Minden industrial site led to the evacuation of Doyline over the weekend and prompted a criminal investigation of Explo Systems Inc.

At a briefing Tuesday, Lt. Lewis confirmed there had still been no contact between the owners of Explo and state police.

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