Homes evacuated as huge fire starts at chemical works

A fire started as workers mixed chemicals at a plant south of Dallas shot plumes of black smoke and bright orange flames into the sky, forcing homes to be evacuated and schoolchildren and residents to take cover indoors to avoid possible exposure to dangerous gases.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Oct 2011, 07:00 BST

The fast-moving blaze engulfed a large complex at a Magnablend Inc facility in Waxahachie, Texas, on Monday overwhelming a sprinkler system and consuming a fire engine. No injuries were reported.

Waxahachie Fire Chief David Hudgins said it was not immediately clear what chemicals were involved in sparking the fire.

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Around 1,000 homes were evacuated but residents were allowed to return to their homes by early evening, said Waxahachie Fire Department spokeswoman Amy Hollywood. Waxahachie, 30 miles south of Dallas, has about 25,000 residents.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency said it had monitored air quality both on the ground and through a specially equipped plane that made several passes through the smoke plume caused by the blaze and officials have not found elevated levels of toxic chemicals.

Magnablend Inc manufactures, blends and packages chemicals. Much of its business involves supplying companies involved in the energy industry.

Related topics:DallasTexas