Pilot ARTHUR T. ISAACSON seriously injured after his experimental Chapman built T-Bird II Tierra, sustained substantial damage upon impact with open field terrain shortly after takeoff from Washington County Airport (8WC), Potosi, Missouri.

The plane prior to the crash

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Mo. (KMOV.com) – A pilot was injured after a small plane went down in Washington County Monday.

A Potosi Correctional Center worker reportedly saw the plane go down near Rainbow Springs Road around 8:30 a.m.

The pilot of the ultralight aircraft sustained serious injuries, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol.

The FAA told News 4 the aircraft was home-built and crashed shortly after takeoff. The FAA said they will investigate what caused the plane to crash.

No other details have been released.



The aircraft was an experimental Chapman built T-Bird II Tierra. Its owner is listed as Arthur T. Issacson, who most likely piloting the plane and is the one injured.







Date: 31-JUL-2017
Time: 08:30LT
Type: Golden Circle Air T-Bird II Tierra
Owner/operator: Private
Registration: N204BC
C/n / msn: 10119
Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Substantial
Location: near Washington County Airport (8WC), Potosi, MO - United States of America
Phase: Take off
Nature: Unknown
Departure airport: Washington County (8WC)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
The aircraft, an experimental Chapman built T-Bird II Tierra, sustained substantial damage upon impact with open field terrain shortly after takeoff from Washington County Airport (8WC), Potosi, Missouri.
The pilot sustained serious injuries, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol.

Sources:


http://www.kmov.com/story/36009634/no-injuries-reported-after-small-plane-crashes-in-washington-county
http://www.kcci.com/article/raw-pilot-walks-away-from-missouri-plane-crash/10386403
http://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N204BC





Registration History

Date Owner Location 02-Oct-2009 ISAACSON ARTHUR T HILLSBORO MO
19-Sep-2009 SALE REPORTED HILLSBORO MO
02-Jun-2006 CHAPMAN ROBERT E NEWPORT NEWS VA

Alaska State investigating claims of workplace health, safety violations after record setting catches strained Bristol Bay's processors and workforce.

Silver Bay Seafoods Naknek target of state OSHA investigation
By Dave Bendinger

July 28, 2017


State investigating claims of workplace health, safety violations after record setting catches strained Bristol Bay's processors and workforce. But so far, only Silver Bay has drawn state's attention.


A state OSHA investigator is looking into claims of workplace health and safety issues at the Silver Bay Seafoods processing plant in Naknek. While many of Bristol Bay’s salmon processing companies had issues with their workforce during this record-setting season, only Silver Bay has drawn the state’s attention so far. The company is also on the receiving end of some particularly bad press in Puerto Rico, where a number of its seasonal workers came from this summer.


Processing Bristol Bay’s annual salmon harvest takes the blistering effort of thousands of employees working at about a dozen major companies. Seafood processing is an "emphasis industry" for the Labor Standards and Safety Division of the state Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, says division director Deborah Kelly.

“Because of the hazardous nature of the work, the short seasons, long working hours, and transient workforce, we do try to emphasize our enforcement inspections, and also our consultation services to assist employers to keep their workers safe and healthy," she said.

Most of Bristol Bay’s processing companies had workforce problems at their plants this summer. The run came in much larger than expected, and as the fleet hauled in huge catches day after day, the demands on the processors to keep up were high, and the labor force was stretched thin.

Still, only one company has so far caught the state’s attention.

“We sent an investigator out to inspect the complaint items, inspect the workforce, and look for hazards to employees there at Silver Bay Seafoods in Naknek," Kelly said.

Who made the complaints and what they alleged has so far not been made public. Naknek residents and Silver Bay fishermen who spoke with KDLG throughout the season described an unusually high washout rate from the processing plant, which was new to Bristol Bay as of 2014. Complaints of poor food, poor treatment, high numbers of injuries, and large walk-offs circulated around the Bay.

Governor Bill Walker was personally made aware that employees from Puerto Rico had gone home from Silver Bay with some serious complaints and allegations. The Governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rossello Nevares, delivered a letter with his concerns to Walker at a governor’s conference in Rhode Island earlier this month.



This photo, posted on the Twitter account of Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Nevares, shows him delivering a letter to Alaska Gov. Bill Walker in Rhode Island earlier this month. The letter details his concerns about workplace health and safety issues at Alaska seafood processing plants.
Credit via Twitter

Puerto Rico’s largest newspaper, El Nuevo Dia, published an exclusive accounting of three Puerto Rico employees who returned from Naknek saying they had been mentally terrorized and physically abused. Some of their allegations tend towards the outrageous, suggesting the company housed employees in ghettos based on ethnicity and had armed guards monitoring their movements.

The three unnamed former workers interviewed by El Nuevo Dia also say the long hours, poor food, and cramped quarters were not what they were expecting.

Roy White from Naknek agrees with these latter complaints. He worked at Silver Bay Seafoods Naknek for a few weeks this season.

“Working conditions are horrible," he said. "I mean they’re sixteen hours straight, seven days a week … they gave us just five minutes, a five minute break, and then you’re right back in there putting your rain gear on.”

White said the food served to employees was much worse than he had eaten at other processing plants he has worked at.

The whole short summer work program was not what he was expecting.

“No, because they’re description on the computer was way different than what was actually how it is.”

White and his girlfriend say they both sought treatment for minor work-related injuries, then quit their jobs. He said he will not be reapplying anytime soon.

“People are the lowest thing on that list in that whole business. We are expendable,” he said.

According to El Nuevo Dia, the matter has been brought to the attention of authorities in both the U.S. and Puerto Rican governments. It’s unclear what other investigations may be underway, but Director Kelly says the state’s OSHA investigation could take between a few weeks to six months to wrap up.

"Once the investigation is complete, we will inform the complainant of course of what we have found. At the time everything is final, the case and all the information within becomes public record," she said.

If the state finds that Silver Bay Seafoods violated safety and health standards in the workplace, Kelly said they could face fines of tens of thousands of dollars per violation.

Kelly said she could not yet comment on the merit of the complaints being investigated.

Silver Bay Seafoods CEO Rich Riggs refused numerous requests for comment this week. 

Company Profile

Silver Bay Seafoods is an integrated processor of frozen, headed and gutted salmon for domestic and export markets. We began in 2007 as a single salmon processing facility in Sitka, Alaska. Today, Silver Bay is one of the largest seafoods companies in Alaska, operating five domestic processing facilities throughout Alaska and the West Coast.

Silver Bay's primary strength is in its combination of having a state of the art processing plant and favorable logistics to support its operations; competent management and key personnel; an established fish buying system; and ownership by fishermen who represent over 80% of the committed fishing effort.

OSHA is still investigating what caused the elevator to plummet seven floors and injure 5 construction workers at The Standard construction site in New Orleans, LA

NEW ORLEANS, LA -- Construction workers who were next door to The Standard construction site last Friday on Monday recalled the moment they heard an elevator plummet seven stories to the ground below.

"There's an emergency braking system on it, and that's what we heard, but it gave way," one told WWL-TV.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said it's still investigating what caused the elevator to plummet seven floors. Investigators arrived at the site near Julia and South Rampart streets to inspect the elevator and some of its parts.

"It hits home closer to us than anything else especially when it's some employees as opposed to just one," said Doug Castro with Global Educational Resource Alliance,.

In his role, Castro has visited numerous construction sites to keep workers safe. "Falls is the number one construction killer year after year."

Castro said OSHA will look into things such as the brake system, power, what the elevators were used to lift, and interview those involved. "But the great thing about it, as we spoke about earlier, the spring that's at the bottom of the elevator if you ask my opinion that has to have been what saved all 11 employees."

WWL-TV checked in with a supervisor from Friday, who said all five injured workers have been released.

He said the most serious injury was a fractured food. And, he said, even though 11 people were inside, the elevator, it was nowhere near load capacity.

"Biggest thing is to make safety considerations, so that thing issue will hopefully not happen again," Castro said.

Hopefully, it won't happen again, but for everyday construction workers, it's just another potential hazard that comes with the job.

Castro said because investigators have a lot of variables to look into, it could take several weeks before authorities release a report on what happened.




===============



NEW ORLEANS, LA —

Five people were injured Friday when an elevator apparatus failed at the construction site of a building in the Central Business District.

The accident was reported Friday afternoon near Julia and South Rampart streets.


New Orleans Emergency Medical Services officials said the workers were taken to a hospital. One is in guarded condition and four are in stable condition.

Woodward Design + Build, LLC., the company overseeing construction of The Standard condominium project downtown, said the elevator apparatus -- known as a hoist -- experienced a failure while 11 people were inside.


The company said the five people were at a hospital had minor injuries. The hoist was supplied by Eagle Access, which was subcontracted by Woodward Design + Build, LLC.

"Our primary concern is for the safety of our employees and subcontractors working on the jobsite, and their swift and full recovery," the company said in a statement. "We expect representatives from Eagle Access and third-party inspectors to arrive to the site tomorrow morning to determine the cause of the equipment failure."

Officials have not confirmed how many stories the elevator fell.

Additional details have not been released.

3 young women killed early Tuesday in a violent one-vehicle collision with innocent utility pole in western Pennsylvania that police say involved binge drinking and speeding. They are Heather Nicole Camisa, 17, of Finleyville, Pa., Bianca E. Herwig, 23, of McDonald, Pa. and Paige Nicole Smith, 21

Pictured are two of the three young women killed early Tuesday in a violent one-vehicle crash in western Pennsylvania that police say involved binge drinking. They are from left, Heather Nicole Camisa, 17, of Finleyville, Pa., and Bianca E. Herwig, 23, of McDonald, Pa. The third victim killed, not pictured here, was Paige Nicole Smith, 21

 3 'binge-drinking' young women killed in violent Pa. crash

By John Luciew

jluciew@pennlive.com

Police in western Pennsylvania are investigating a violent one-car crash that killed three young women, including a teen-ager, and injured a fourth as a probable case of binge drinking.

According to KDKA-TV, Bethel Park Police in Allegheny County have uncovered Snapchat videos allegedly showing the women drinking heavily in the hours before the crash.

Police also found an empty bottle of vodka inside the SUV, KDKA reports.

"This was a very tragic accident, and it serves as an example of what can happen when you mix alcohol and driving in a vehicle," Bethel Park Police Chief Tim O'Conner told KDKA.

He added that the early Tuesday morning crash that sent the SUV carrying the four women into a utility pole, shearing it off, was the worst he's seen in 40 years on the job.

"I would speak to our teens and young adults out there, you're not invincible. You may set out to have a good time, and that's your intention, but when you mix alcohol and driving, you could (rather, WILL) wind up dead," O'Conner told KDKA.
Killed in the crash are, from left: Paige Nicole Smith, Bianca E. Herwig and Heather Nicole Camisa. (screen shot via Observer-Reporter.com)

TribLive.com identified the victims as Heather Nicole Camisa, 17, of Finleyville, and Paige Nicole Smith, 21, both of whom died at the scene. Bianca E. Herwig, 23, of McDonald, Pa., died at an area hospital.

A fourth woman, age 21, was ejected in the crash and taken to an area hospital in critical condition.

The one-vehicle accident happened at 12:40 a.m. Tuesday on Library Road.

The police investigation continues.

Anyone with information is asked to call Allegheny County police or Bethel Park police at 412-473-1300.

==================

Alcohol might have played a role in a crash that killed three women – including a teenage girl -- and critically injured a fourth early Tuesday morning in Bethel Park, according to Allegheny County police officials.

Bethel Park police and paramedics responded to Library Road near Brightwood Road shortly before 1 a.m. for a report of a vehicle that hit a utility pole, according to a release from county police.

Officers arrived and found an SUV tangled in power lines that had fallen from the sheared pole. Three women were inside the SUV, and a fourth was thrown from the vehicle, police said.

The 21-year-old driver, who police have not identified, was pronounced dead at the scene, along with a passenger identified by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office as Heather Nicole Camisa, 17, of Finleyville.

Bianca E. Herwig, 23, of McDonald, was removed from the SUV and taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead about an hour later, according to the medical examiner.

The 21-year-old woman who was thrown from the vehicle was taken to a hospital where she remains in critical condition.

Police said the SUV was headed north on Library Road at a high rate of speed when it left the road and struck a pole. There were no signs any other vehicles were involved, police said.

Investigators said that evidence at the scene indicated alcohol might have been involved.

The crash remains under investigation. Anyone who heard or saw the SUV before the crash is asked to call Bethel Park police or Allegheny County police at 412-473-1300.

3-year old Nico Bostick's drowning death in Pennsylvania has been ruled an accident

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- A Pennsylvania coroner has ruled that the drowning death of a 3-year-old boy was an accident.


Luzerne County Coroner Bill Lisman announced his findings in the death of Nico Bostick on Thursday.

Plains Township police Lt. Rick Lussi told The Citizens' Voice that Bostick was playing with other children at a Plains Township home on Wednesday when he somehow got into a pool.

He was taken to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

federal Mine Safety and Health Administration is investigating the crushing death of Matthew Walter Kanala IV, 36, of Elberton who was killed while drilling a section of rock at Blue Sky Quarry

Feds investigating death of Elberton man at Oglethorpe quarry



The death of an experienced granite quarry worker in Oglethorpe County on July 20 is under investigation by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, but authorities said it may be months before a final decision is reached on how the accident occurred.




Investigators will interview witnesses, examine the site and equipment “and ultimately, write up a report of their findings, which may include enforcement against the mine operator,” according to MSHA spokeswoman Amy Louviere.

Matthew Walter Kanala IV, 36, of Elberton was killed while drilling a section of rock at Blue Sky Quarry, according to the Oglethorpe County Coroner’s Office. A large section of rock, estimated at 16,000 pounds, broke and fell on Kanala, who had also apparently fallen as he attempted to escape the falling rock, according to the report.

Kanala, who had worked in mines for about two decades, was married and the father of three children.
 
Outside the investigation, no one is saying much about what happened.

A woman at Blue Sky Quarry said last week the company was not commenting.

Matthew Eason, a Lavonia attorney for the Kanala family, said, “We don’t have any statements at this time.”

The Elberton Granite Association, an organization of granite mine owners including Blue Sky, did not return a call for comment. Elberton is known as the “Granite Capitol of the World” and the association has members with mines stretching across Elbert County into parts of Madison and Oglethorpe counties.

Working in rock and coal mines is dangerous work, and so far in 2017, the MSHA reported 16 deaths nationwide, with 10 in coal mines and 6 in metal and other mines.

In 2016, the agency reported that 26 miners died in work-related accidents, which was down from 29 in 2015. Of these 2016 fatalities, the MSHA said 17 occurred in metal and non-metal mines, the category that includes granite mines.

“The figure represents the lowest number of mining deaths ever recorded and only the second year that mining deaths dropped below 30,” according a statement from the agency.

There are about 330,000 miners working in more than 13,000 mines in the United States, according to the MSHA.

The leading causes for these deaths was machinery accidents and powered haulage. The latter term includes everything from conveyors to shuttle cars and forklifts.

The improved statistics in mine deaths was attributed by MSHA Assistant Secretary Joseph Main to several reasons, including more inspections, training and a crack down on chronic violators of safety rules. 

=================

A photo showing portion of the Blue Sky Quarry in Oglethorpe County. (Elberton Granite Association Facebook)  

Oglethorpe County, Georgia

Oglethorpe quarry worker killed when crushed by rock


The man killed while working in a granite quarry in Oglethorpe County has been identified as Matthew Walter Kantala IV, 36, of Elberton.

Kantala was killed in a work-related accident that occurred shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday at the Blue Sky Quarry located off Veribest Road in a northeastern section of the county, according to Oglethorpe County Deputy Coroner Mark Bridges.

Kantala was drilling a section of granite when a large section of rock broke away, according to Bridges.

“He went to move out of the way, lost his balance and fell,” Bridges said.
 
Kantala fell about 16 feet onto some more rock, but the large rock, estimated at 16,000 pounds, fell on him, according to the coroner.

The Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office said the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also investigating.



====================

Oglethorpe County granite worker killed in quarry fall

A 36-year-old Elberton man was killed Wednesday while working in a granite quarry in Oglethorpe County, authorities said.

Oglethorpe County Deputy Coroner Mark Bridges said he couldn’t yet release the man’s name. The fatality occurred shortly after 10 a.m. at the Blue Sky Quarry located off Veribest Road in a northeastern section of the county, according to Bridges.

The man was killed when he fell while drilling rock, Bridges said. The Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office said the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also investigating.

Here is the gofuckme page:
 https://www.gofundme.com/support-for-the-kantala-family

Support for the Kantala Family


As many of you know Matthew Kantala of Elberton was killed tragically today at the Granite quarry where he worked. He was only 35 and leaves behind a wife and 3 children. He worked hard and provided 100% of the family income. As you can imagine the coming weeks will be so hard emotionally as well as financially for his family. Please donate if you can, anything will greatly help with his final expenses as well as support for this sweet family. Thank you.

Contract worker, Darry Arveson Jr., 48, Glen Ullin, N.D. painting markings on the runway of Hector International Airport was killed in a collision with an SUV driven by the airport's assistant director, Darren L. Anderson

FARGO, ND -- A contract worker painting markings on the runway of Hector International Airport was killed in a collision with an SUV early Monday, July 31, 2017, said Shawn Dobberstein, executive director of the Fargo Airport Authority.

The worker was identified by Fargo Police as Darry Arveson Jr., 48, Glen Ullin, N.D.

Dobberstein said Arveson was using a vehicle to paint lines on the runway when it was hit by an SUV driven by an Airport Authority employee.

The airport employee was identified as Darren Anderson, who has worked for the airport since 1997.

The collision was reported to emergency dispatchers about 12:40 a.m. Monday. The worker died at the scene, said Deputy Chief Joe Anderson of the Fargo Police Department.

Police are investigating the crash, Anderson said. Dobberstein said the airport has resumed normal operations.

“Our sympathies go out to the employee and his family and obviously our employee and his family as well,” Dobberstein said.

The incident happened on the airport’s main runway, according to Dobberstein.

No one was cited in the incident, but the investigation is ongoing and the case will be referred to the Cass County State’s Attorney’s Office to review whether any charges would be appropriate, Anderson said.

“We’re going to look at what caused the crash and any charges that could be recommended. At this point the (airport) employee has been very cooperative with law enforcement,” Anderson said.



======


Fargo airport official in SUV fatally hits worker in utility painting vehicle on runway
The crash occurred late at night during a maintenance project, authorities said.

By Paul Walsh Star Tribune
July 31, 2017 — 3:42pm


A senior Fargo airport official driving an SUV late at night on a runway struck and killed the operator of a small utility painting vehicle that was putting down markings, authorities said.

The collision occurred about 12:40 a.m. Monday on the primary runway of Hector International Airport, according to police. Aviation traffic was unaffected.

Contract worker Darry Arveson Jr., 48, of Glen Ullin, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The SUV driver was the airport's assistant director, Darren L. Anderson, said Shawn A. Dobberstein, Hector's executive director. Neither Anderson nor a person riding with him were hurt, Dobberstein added.

"Mr. Anderson was assisting with the coordination of the runway maintenance project," Dobberstein said in a statement. Anderson has been working for the Fargo Airport Authority since 1997.

Keith Brosch, 46, who worked at Home Brands in Siloam Springs, AR died after being electrocuted and elevated fall

Employee dies after being electrocuted, falling in accident at Arkansas business, police say



An employee at a Benton County business died after he was electrocuted on the job Wednesday, according to police.

Keith Brosch, who worked at Home Brands at 4560 E. U.S. 412 in Siloam Springs, died in a workplace accident, spokesman Lt. Derek Spicer said in a news release from the Siloam Springs Police Department.

Brosch's cause of death was accidental electrocution and an elevated fall, the release said.

Spicer said that fire officials and medical personnel at the Siloam Springs Regional Hospital tried to save Brosch but were ultimately unsuccessful.

The investigation is ongoing, though police do not believe a criminal act led to Brosch's death, the release stated.


Here is what Lesa Brosch, his wife, wrote in her Facebook pages:



I lost the love of my life due to a tragic accident at work yesterday. He was and is my everything. We have been married 26 years. We have three lovely children, Aaron, Ashley and Aubrey. They will carry his character traits that so many people loved in him.

The visitation is tomorrow at Backstream Pyette funeral home from 5 - 8. The funeral is Saturday at 10:00 at Liberty Baptist.


If you knew Keith, you know what a loss and void this is on our lives.

Thank you for the prayers and comfort!

==================

Siloam Springs man electrocuted on job at Home Brands

SILOAM SPRINGS, AR — A man died Wednesday after he was electrocuted at work and fell, police said. Keith Brosch was…






SILOAM SPRINGS — A man died Wednesday after he was electrocuted at work and fell, police said.

Keith Brosch was working at Home Brands, 4560 U.S. 412, according to a news release from the Siloam Springs Police Department.

Brosch’s cause of death was from an accidental electrocution and subsequent fall, according to police. An investigation into the death is ongoing, although police don’t suspect foul play.

Co-workers, members of the Siloam Springs Fire Department and Siloam Springs Regional Hospital attempted to save Brosch’s life, but were unsuccessful.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Benton County coroner each declined to give additional information as the death is still under investigation.

$75,000 in damages at a Kearny, NE home fire were due to a faulty power strip that caused an electrical short circuit in the second floor bedroom

KEARNEY, Neb. — Update: The State Fire Marshal's investigation found the blaze started in a second story bedroom due to a faulty power strip.

According to the Kearney Fire Department, damage is estimated to be $75,000. An elderly man was the sole occupant of the home, and is receiving assistance from the Red Cross.

Original Story:

The fire marshal in Kearney is working to figure out what started a house fire on Sunday afternoon.

Smoke poured from the home on the 700 block of east 36th Street in Kearney, and firefighters got the call just before 1 p.m.

Neighbors and the homeowner watched as the crew worked to ventilate the home and get to the fire source.

Kearney Fire Chief Jim Tacha said heavy smoke like this drastically reduces visibility, so firefighters have to depend on their second set of eyes.

"We do have thermal imaging cameras which are a big help, because they show where the heat source is. So if you can follow that, then it will show you where the fire source itself is, and help you know where to attack," he said.

Tacha said one person was home when the fire started, but he was able to escape.

No injuries were reported, other than to the pocketbook of the homeowner.




=================




KEARNEY, Neb. (KSNB) - A house fire in Kearney caused thousands of dollars worth of damage.

The Kearney Volunteer Fire Department responded to a call around 1 p.m. Sunday to 711 east 36th Street. The home suffered significant damage, totaling $75,000.

The State Fire Marshal's Office was called in to investigate. The cause was determined to be an electrical short circuit in the bedroom.

No injuries were reported.

SULFUR WAS BURNING DURING A MASSIVE SULFUR FERTILIZER FIRE AT THE TIGER-SUL PRODUCTS PLANT IN ATMORE, ALABAMA

A fire at a fertilizer plant in rural Alabama on Saturday spread caustic smoke and prompted an order for hundreds of residents to stay inside before it was extinguished, local media reported.

The early morning fire in Atmore, Alabama, roughly 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Mobile near the Florida state line, occurred before 5:30 a.m. local time at the Tiger-Sul Products plant, company spokesman Usman Khalid said.

Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks could not be reached on Saturday, but he told WALA-TV that the sulfur fire had forced about 200 to 300 residents near the plant to remain inside their homes as a precaution.

No injuries were reported as the fire engulfed a warehouse on the plant site, media reports said. The plant was closed at the time, Khalid said.

Tiger-Sul manufactures sulfur fertilizer, including sulfur bentonite, according to the closely-held company's website.

Khalid said the local fire department was conducting air testing after the fire was extinguished Saturday afternoon and did not immediately have information on any potential health hazards from the smoke.



===================



ATMORE, Ala. (AP) — A plant that produces agricultural chemicals caught fire Saturday in southwest Alabama, blanketing the area with potentially hazardous smoke and prompting an order for people to stay inside.

Police said the fire began before dawn at a factory operated by Tiger-Sul Products, and crews were still on the scene hours later. No injuries were reported.

Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks told WALA-TV that sulfur was burning in a warehouse, and 200 to 300 residents nearest the plant were asked to stay inside their homes as a precaution.

"It is extremely hard to breathe near the warehouse," Brooks said.

The Tiger-Sul website said it produces products including agricultural sulfur, which can cause skin irritation and breathing problems if inhaled. Company officials did not return an email message seeking comment.

Sheriff's officials closed part of U.S. 31 because of the smoke and diverted traffic to Interstate 65.

The plant is located about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Mobile in a town of about 10,000 people.