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- Smoke visable on the corner of TC Jester and West 18th in the Heights.
- HFD working to contain the fire (Photo Credit: Al Ortiz)
- HFD working to contain the fire (Photo Credit: Al Ortiz)
- HFD working to contain the fire
- Fire at and around the Custom Packaging and Filling company in West Houston. (Photo Credit: Al Ortiz)
This story is being updated as more information becomes available.
The emergency alert “shelter-in-place” has been lifted for the Spring Branch area in West Houston officials say.
A massive industrial fire led to the alert and school evacuation in Spring Branch.
Emergency personnel were dispatched at 9:45 a.m. Thursday as the fire burned several structures in the 1700 block of Laverne. The blaze went to a 4-alarm at 10:07 a.m. and by 11:20 a.m. there were 175 firefighters with 64 units on the scene, according to HFD. At 1:58 p.m HFD reported the fire under control.
shelter-in-place area
Emergency officials said hazardous materials were released into the air from the fire. City officials sent out an emergency alert Thursday morning ordering people in nearby homes and businesses to stay inside, to close all windows and to shut off any air conditioning.
Students from Spring Branch Elementary nearby were transported to Don Coleman Community Coliseum.
Spring Branch ISD said on Twitter, "All SBE students and staff are safe and evacuated due to nearby fire."
Earlier officials were trying to identify what hazardous materials were released into the air and thought pesticides might have been involved.
Lozano said investigators needed to speak with the property owners. He said investigators thought one of the products was a petroleum-based solvent.
The fire department was advising citizens to stay away from water run-off to nearby areas.
“The area of Spring Branch Creek and surrounding ditches and culverts should be avoided until authorities complete testing and deem them safe. Diking and boom operations are currently underway along with environmental contractors on sight performing environmental cleanup," officials said in a news release.
Some examples of questionable runoff water flowing into Spring Branch Creek from the 4-alarm fire.#khou #HouNews pic.twitter.com/ln5QTohUoC
— The Bishop (@BillBishopKHOU) May 5, 2016
The department said no injuries were reported from the fire.
There was no word on what caused the fire.
4 Alarm Fire on Lavern St #HFD pic.twitter.com/4jrYxiqh2c
— Houston Fire Dept (@cohoustonfire) May 5, 2016
The Associated Press contributed to this article.