Fire officials at the time said the August 19, 2020 fire at the Poly America plant started with an explosion. The fire burned for 23 hours before firefighters from several cities put it out.
“It was coming through the vents and then when I got to my residence, you could see the filaments and the debris, little flakes, coming down and you could smell the chemicals,” he said.
Two of the 39 plaintiffs in a new lawsuit against the company spoke about it with one of their lawyers Thursday.
Amber Rodriguez said she fled from her home about a mile from the site with her young son that morning.
“We woke up to the smoke inside our apartment and we had to literally run away. My son was a year old and we were coughing,” she said.
Dallas Attorney Jennifer Kinder is one of the lawyers involved in the lawsuit for the neighbors.
“We know everyone has respiratory issues, long-term respiratory issues,” she said.
The $7.8 million lawsuit seeks $200,000 in damages for each of the 39 plaintiffs.
“And there's a variety of issues that they're having. Headaches, fatigue,” Kinder said.
The plant on Marshall Drive in Grand Prairie handles polyethylene and petroleum-based products.
The Poly America website says the company makes Husky brand trash bags and other plastic products.
Amber Rodriguez said she is angry that the company has done nothing for neighbors since the fire and she hopes the lawsuit brings action.
“Apologies; they need accountability for what happened,” Rodriguez said.
Shortly after the fire, electric provider Oncor issued a statement saying its investigation concluded that transmission lines through the site were intact and not to blame for what happened.
Kinder said the court action will seek information about the actual cause.
Voice mail and email messages seeking comment from Poly America Thursday were not returned.
@Airyoportraits
August 2020 Poly-America Fire
@Airyoportraits
August 2020 Poly-America Fire
@Airyoportraits
August 2020 Poly-America Fire
Vanessa Chey
Sent from my iPhone
Vanessa Chey
Sent from my iPhone
Isabella Maiorana
Grand Prairie Fire
MotoGroup Motos Escobar
I attached some pictures of the fire in Grand Prairie. Thanks. Augusto bettini
MotoGroup Motos Escobar
I attached some pictures of the fire in Grand Prairie. Thanks. Augusto bettini
MotoGroup Motos Escobar
I attached some pictures of the fire in Grand Prairie. Thanks. Augusto bettini
MotoGroup Motos Escobar
I attached some pictures of the fire in Grand Prairie. Thanks. Augusto bettini
Brandon Grover
I am located off of Arkansas lane and PGBT my power was out for about an hour along with a majority of Grand Prairie Sent from my iPhone
David Miles
Train on fire multiple explosions
Raven Catholic
Fire captured on my phone
Vanessa Chey
Sent from my iPhone
Chris Brantley
Some shots I took from the hill on the other side of mountain creek lake of tonight’s fire. (Just realized I can only submit 1. I have several.
Philip Lerner
Taken on top of Texas Health Methodist Fort Worth Hospital. View of smoke from fire in Grand Prairie.
Brandon Grover
Fire in Grand Prairie
Chris Brantley
Some shots I took from the hill on the other side of mountain creek lake of tonight’s fire.
Jennifer Meza
prramirez2
paul ramirez from haslet tx..6.39am on my way to my office. hwy 287 poly fireSent from my Sprint Samsung Galaxy Note10+.
Jo Riley
Pictures from Godley, TX of Fire in Grand Prairie Taken at 0745.Jo Riley
Jo Riley
Pictures from Godley, TX of Fire in Grand Prairie Taken at 0745.
Robert Martinez
This was taken near the Parker County/Tarrant County Line west of White Settlement at approximately 645 this morning. Estimate we’re about 30-35 miles west of the fire. Robert Martinez
Ana Hernandez
Taken at 6:30 this morning from The Watson apartment complex at Outlet and 360
Denise Roberts
These photos and video are of the smoke trail moving over Kennedale (New Hope Road) from the Poly-America fire.
mark burnett
Smoke plume from Carter/Mayfield
Denise Roberts
These photos and video are of the smoke trail moving over Kennedale (New Hope Road) from the Poly-America fire.
Lori Keith
This was the sky Wednesday morning in Crowley. I was hoping it would rain, then I realized it was smoke from the Grand Prairie plastics plant fire. Still cool looking!
Robert Erb
Here are pictures of the smoke Polly America seen at the intersection of South Collins Street and Valley View, Arlington,Tx 08/19/2020 in the 7AM Hour.
Mel
grand prairie fire
Angel
Running errands with a cloud of smoke hanging over me!
Jenn Sanchez from Grand Prairie
Grand Prairie Massive Plastics Plant Fire
Lauren Layton
In Arlington, pics of smoke from fire
Lauren Layton
In Arlington, pics of smoke from fire
Renee Perez
Poly America picture
Travis Wilson
Poly America pics from commercial airliner. These pics show the true scale of the smoke cloud.
Travis Wilson
Poly America pics from commercial airliner. These pics show the true scale of the smoke cloud.
Travis Wilson
Poly America pics from commercial airliner. These pics show the true scale of the smoke cloud.
