FILE - The Houston skyline overlooks the Buffalo Bayou as it snakes its' way into downtown Friday, April 18, 2014. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan,File) (Pat Sullivan, Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
HOUSTON – KPRC 2 received several calls this morning from viewers regarding a “burning rubber smell” blanketing across the Greater Houston area.
Details are slim, but Houston fire officials say they are aware of the problem.
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In a statement to KPRC 2 and posted online, the Houston Fire Department said:
We are aware of reports regarding a strong odor in multiple areas of the city. The Houston Fire Department is coordinating with the Office of Emergency Management to investigate.
At this time, there are no active or confirmed working fires associated with these reports. HFD shift commanders are aware and monitoring the situation. We will share updates if additional information becomes available.
Houston Fire Department
Last night, a large commercial fire broke out at a tire shop in Channelview, leading many online to pin this as the source of Sunday’s smell.
However, KPRC 2 spoke with fire officials Sunday morning and they did not confirm this as a source.
Christian Hudspeth is a Houston native who joined KPRC 2 News in December 2025. Christian began his news career at KTRK in 2022 before moving to newsrooms in Waco, Texas (KXXV), Las Vegas, Nevada (KTNV), and now back to H-Town. He earned his BA at the University of Houston Jack J. Valenti School of Communication in 2023.