HOUSTON – A massive fire tore through a large pile of trash — mostly tires — at Mammoth Metal Recycling in Houston’s East End, sending a plume of smoke visible for miles across the city.
Before the fire broke out Monday, a Houston Fire Department source told KPRC 2 News the company had been cited twice in the last month for illegal burning.
It’s unclear how many citations, if any, may have been received before that.
The citations, however, were just the beginning of the company’s legal troubles.
City suit for over $70,000 in unpaid taxes
Less than two years ago, the City of Houston sued Mammoth Metal Recycling for more than $70,000 in back taxes, according to Harris County District Clerk records.
Records show the city won through a default judgment last year, and a judge ordered the property sold.
The current status of the property is unclear.
KPRC 2 News reached out to Mayor John Whitmire’s Office and the Harris County Attorney’s Office on Monday evening for additional information.
Federal fraud indictment tied to COVID relief funds
Company leaders have also faced criminal trouble. A federal grand jury indicted them in 2023 for an alleged $53 million fraud scheme involving COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program dollars, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Federal court records show the owner of the Mammoth Group pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in 2024.
He is scheduled for sentencing later this summer, according to records, but his current connection to the company is unclear.
Arson investigators look into cause of fire
Despite the company’s history of problems, Houston Fire Department arson investigators are now working to determine how the fire started. HFD said it is standard procedure for arson investigators to be involved — officials must establish the cause of a fire before determining whether it was intentional.
Flames were still shooting from the trash pile as of Monday evening, with smoke continuing to billow into the night sky.
KPRC 2 News has filed a formal public records request with the City of Houston for more information about citations at the property.
Additional details may be updated as this story develops.