WHARTON COUNTY, Texas – Officials said they are investigating a massive fire at a plastics plant in Wharton County Sunday.
It happened at Nan Ya Plastics Corp. USA located at 2081 FM 102 Rd.
According to officials, the Wharton, Boling, Hungerford, Glen Flora, El Campo and East Bernard fire departments were called to the scene Sunday night.
The fire was blazing well into the night for hours, officials said. At one point, officers with the Wharton Police Department said Wilkes and Mattie streets had to be evacuated while crews were working to get the fire under control. Firefighters were able to eventually contain the blaze.
At this time, all employees and personnel have been accounted for, Wharton police said. Officers said the fire was equipment-related. All residents near the plant are able to return home.
A Wharton County resident named Shanera Pete told KPRC 2′s Brittany Jeffers when she saw the smoke yesterday, she took her newborn and toddler and went to her mother-in-law’s home.
“I was just kind of nervous and scared, I guess because they said the plant was on fire and I didn’t know if it was going to burn up or anything,” Pete said.
In the meantime, her mother-in-law Carmen said she still has a lot of questions.
“It could have been worse than that,” Carmen said. “I thank God no one got hurt or anything but you don’t know what the longterm of this is going to be. Breathing all this stuff, in you know, that is what scares me the most.”
Nan Ya Plastics Corporation, America, which also operates under the name Nan Ya Plstic Corp Tpei Taiwan, has been operating for approximately 43 years. The plant said there are close to 80 people employed at the location.
KPRC 2 reached out to the plant for more information for a statement but we haven’t heard back.