A large materials fire at film and bag producer Poly-America Inc.'s Grand Prairie, Texas, headquarters has been contained and crews are beginning to clean up the ashes.
The fire broke out shortly after midnight on Aug. 19 when a high-tension power line fell onto stored plastic inventory near the buildings and train tracks, according to the local Grand Prairie Fire Department.
No injuries were reported, but Poly-America did send some nearby workers home, Bill Murphy, assistant chief with the department, said during a livestreamed news conference. No structures were involved, but a rail car and stored plastics were affected.
The facility is still operating in some capacity, as the nearest building to the fire is several hundred feet away, he said.
Fire crews used aerial efforts and expected the flames to burn for days because of the nature of plastic, he said.
Murphy said the approximately 300-yard enflamed area was used as storage for resins and some rolls.
The massive dark plume could be seen for miles away and effected air traffic to and from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. City officials conducted air quality tests and persons with breathing issues should still steer clear of the area.
Poly-America ranked No. 29 in a recent Plastics News survey of North American film and sheet manufacturers, with estimated sales of $270 million.
Poly-America, which was founded in 1976, manufactures sheeting, trash bags and a variety of films. Poly-America also operates extrusion plants in Grand Prairie and Cottage Grove, Minn., and has a material reprocessing center in Mont Belvieu, Texas.