Local News
Houston Warehouse Fire Devastating Wildlife in Spring Branch Creek
On Thursday, May 5, 2016, a warehouse fire made national headlines in Spring Branch as it was shown on a live video feed.
The four-alarm fire, which was broadcasted in a Facebook Live video feed, consumed the warehouse entirely. As KPRC 2 reported, “multiple explosions could be seen coming from inside one of the buildings in the complex.”
The warehouse was part of Custom Packaging and Filling’s location in Spring Branch. Due to the nature of the plant, officials noted that pesticides and petroleum additives were in the warehouse. As a result, local residents are being warned to avoid water run-off areas that may have collected chemicals until further notice.
The Houston Fire Department had 175 firefighters on the scene fighting the flames, and while they finally put it out after battling the wind, the damage was already done.
Dead animals have surfaced in the Spring Branch Creek, as ABC 13 reported that there are dead fish, snakes, and frogs surfacing. About 18 turtles were rescued on Saturday, May 7, 2016, following the disaster.
The creek bed turned red with odd sludge that was devastating to watch the turtles try and swim through. While the color had returned to normal on Sunday, officials are still placing biohazard signs around the creek, though it’s not known exactly what chemicals were released.
Below is a time-lapse video of the warehouse fire.
