A massive fire at a plastics facility in Grand Prairie is likely to continue burning for several days and could knock out electricity in the area for some time, firefighters say. Meanwhile, officials are urging people to stay indoors because of the “toxic plume” rising from the scene that could be an irritant for people with respiratory issues.
At about midnight Wednesday, an overhanging power line fell onto plastic sheeting in a storage area at the Poly-America manufacturing plant, starting a fire, according to Bill Murphy, assistant chief of operations with the Grand Prairie Fire Department reported NBC 5 DFW.
(Click here to view his update)
The materials ignited and spread throughout the storage area, Murphy said, an area about 300 yards wide along the 2000 block of West Marshall Drive near Texas Highway 161. One rail car exploded and supporting towers for electricity lines are expected to collapse under the heat of the flames. At least three of Poly-America’s freight rail cars had caught fire.
No buildings have been impacted by the fire and no injuries have been reported.
In an update more than eight hours after the fire began, Murphy told reporters just after 8 a.m. that though they had received assistance from several area fire departments, there was not enough foam to put out the fire. Firefighters were able to create breaks to contain the fire to one area of the factory complex and will now allow the fire to burn itself out, which could take a few days.
People with respiratory issues are urged to avoid the area and stay indoors because the plume of smoke could cause throat irritation, Murphy said. Air quality samples are expected to be taken in the area Wednesday. So far, no evacuations have been ordered for those who live in the immediate area.
“The smoke is toxic. Anybody out there with any respiratory issues, they need to avoid standing in this. Probably going to have a sore throat from it. Nobody needs to seek medical attention unless you have severe, severe difficulty breathing from it. It’s just an irritant, but stay clear of it if you can,” Murphy said.
Nearby residents have reported sporadic power outages. Murphy said Oncor was quick to shut off the electricity in the lines above the fire and power was rerouted around it. Murphy said a “domino effect” was possible when the power line towers collapse at the factory site and other towers in the area could be pulled down as a result.
NBC 5’s Alanna Quillen reported hearing intermittent popping sounds at the scene of the fire, which could be seen from miles away and its smoke plume detected on NBC 5’s S-Band Radar.
Supplies of fuel and foam fire retardant were a significant concern for fire crews at the scene, which included firefighters from Irving, Dallas, Cedar Hill and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Officials from Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth were also assisting.
Source: NBC 5 DFW