Massive fire burns at decommissioned Texas power plant
The blaze sent a huge plume of smoke across the Galveston area.
Firefighters from multiple agencies are battling a massive blaze at a decommissioned power plant near Galveston, Texas, authorities said.
A huge black plume of smoke filled the sky over several cities in Galveston County, including San Leon, where the fire engulfed the old power plant alongside Highway 146, authorities said.
At one point on Sunday, residents in the area were being asked to take precautions to avoid the heavy smoke, according to police in the Galveston suburb of Kemah.
"At this time, two cooling towers and power lines are on fire," the Kemah Police Department said in a social media post, in part.
"All residents are advised to avoid the area and take precautions not to expose themselves to the smoke," the post added.
No injuries have been reported.
On Sunday afternoon, the Kemah Fire Department said on social media that the fire had been contained and that firefighters remained on scene.
Joe Tumbleson, a spokesperson for the city of Texas City, in Galveston County, told ABC News on Sunday afternoon that the fire was expected to be fully extinguished within a few hours. He said additional spot fires had ignited around the power plant and that the Texas City Fire Department deployed crews to contain them.
Air quality monitors currently show safe readings, but residents are being asked to stay clear of the area and to avoid breathing the smoke from the fire, Tumbleson said.
The power plant was decommissioned in the 1990s, according to Tumbleson.
The Kemah Fire Department said it began getting reports of the fire at around 2:44 a.m. When firefighters arrived, the power plant was fully engulfed in flames, officials said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
ABC News' Jenna Harrison contributed to this report.
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