Massive fire at plastic factory lights up Texas sky

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — A downed power line sparked a massive fire at a factory that makes garbage bags and other plastic materials in Grand Prairie, Texas early Wednesday morning.

Flames could be seen for miles and the fire is expected to burn for days according to KXAS-TV.

The fire began after midnight when a power line fell onto a building used to store plastic sheeting at the Poly-America manufacturing plant, Grand Prairie Assistant Chief, Bill Murphy told KXAS-TV.

“This is going to be burning late into tomorrow,” Grand Prairie Assistant Fire Chief Bill Murray said during a Wednesday morning press conference. “These are rolls of plastic sheeting, huge rolls, and they’re stacked sometimes eight feet high. Plastic is hard to put out and it’s just gonna burn.”

A rail car also caught fire and exploded but there were no immediate reports of injuries.

Poly-America is headquartered in Grand Prairie and specializes in products made from polyethylene, such as trash bags, drop cloths and plastic sheeting, according to the company’s website.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Cox Media Group