The Pleasantville neighborhood is separated only by railroad tracks from the flaming warehouse.
The Pleasantville neighborhood is separated only by railroad tracks from the flaming warehouse.
Pleasantville residents walk down Candy Street to get a better view of the situation.
Pleasantville residents walk down Candy Street to get a better view of the situation.
Charles Johnson watches the progress of the fire through sunglasses, shielding his mouth and nose from the smoke.
Charles Johnson watches the progress of the fire through sunglasses, shielding his mouth and nose from the smoke.
The two warehouse fires occurred at neighboring properties.
The two warehouse fires occurred at neighboring properties.
From across the railroad tracks, firefighter Tony Jones sprays water into the flames.
From across the railroad tracks, firefighter Tony Jones sprays water into the flames.
Firefighter Captain J.R. Flanagan leads a press conference about the warehouse fire.
Firefighter Captain J.R. Flanagan leads a press conference about the warehouse fire.
Dewey Webb of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms at a press conference over the causes and dangers posed by the July 9 fire.
Dewey Webb of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms at a press conference over the causes and dangers posed by the July 9 fire.
Within a few weeks of the first chemical warehouse fire, an adjacent warehouse owned by the same company, Houston Distribution Inc., erupted in flames, sending more plumes of chemical smoke over the neighborhood. The second ignition was a four-alarm fire in its own right.
When the second fire broke out, some reports state that security personnel were not on duty in the building, while company officials claim that four guards were present at the building. The pillar of smoke from the blaze was visible from up to 20 miles away. Some residents’ homes were as close as 70 meters to the fire. Evacuations were not officially ordered, but residents reported ash falling around their homes downwind of the fire. Although no residents were harmed directly, the fire furthered the deep sense of unease and worry felt by many in the neighborhood, as it revealed the dangers posed by the many warehouses adjacent to Pleasantville.
