Firefighters Battle Blaze at Texas Decommissioned Power Plant

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Firefighters in southeastern Texas were battling a blaze at a decommissioned power plant that sent large plumes of smoke into the air on Sunday and local officials warned area residents to avoid the smoke.

The fire broke out at the decommissioned plant in the Texas City area of Galveston County around 2:30 a.m. and 50 to 60 firefighters from several departments in the area were on the scene through the day, Texas City Emergency Management Director Joe Tumbleson said by telephone.

By late afternoon, all five cooling towers at the plant that was decommissioned in the 1990s had burned and collapsed, Tumbleson said.

He said no injuries have been reported.

The fire was mostly out by late afternoon, but it was expected to smolder through the night and perhaps into Monday, Tumbleson said. People nearby were advised to remain indoors or leave the area if they encounter smoky conditions, he said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.