A new report by the Chemical Safety Board has revealed that a 2023 explosion at the Dow Chemical plant in Plaquemine could have been prevented. The incident began when portable work lights were left behind inside a drum during maintenance and led to a chain of events that resulted in over 31,000 pounds of cancer-causing chemicals being released into the air and over $43 million in property damage. Nearby resident Arlene Jacobson said the explosion damaged her vegetable garden and required her to replant it. Despite the findings, Jacobson remains not alarmed and trusts Dow and the agencies involved to prevent a repeat of the incident.