Chalmette company denies it is source of gas that sickened Mississippi River ferry passengers Friday

A Chalmette industrial plant on Saturday denied that it was the source of a cloud of sulphur dioxide gas that hovered over the Mississippi River Friday evening and was blamed for complaints of eye and throat irritation by passengers aboard a ferry crossing the river below New Orleans.

On Friday night and Saturday morning, state Department of Quality officials said they suspected the toxic chemical was believed to be coming from a Rain CII petroleum coke processing plant in Chalmette, but a spokeswoman for the company said it was not the source of the gas.

Chalmette company denies it is source of gas that sickened Mississippi River ferry passengers Friday | NOLA.com.