Cause for Huge May Fire at Houston Chemical Warehouse not Found

Houston’s fire chief says investigators haven’t been able to determine what caused a blaze earlier this year that ignited a chemical warehouse, leading to explosions and hazardous runoff.

The Houston Chronicle reports the city’s interim fire chief, Rodney West, has told a city council committee the fire May 5 began in a garage at a home adjacent to the Custom Packaging & Filling warehouse but not enough evidence was left behind for investigators to find a cause. The homeowner had worked on cars in the garage.

West says more than 40,000 pounds of hazardous chemicals were stored at the site.

Towering plumes of thick billowing smoke could be seen for miles, hundreds of students were evacuated from a nearby school and nearly 200 firefighters responded.

No injuries were reported.