Sherwin Williams plant explosion rattles homes in Garland, 1 person injured
GARLAND, Texas - Crews worked to put out flames at the Sherwin Williams paint plant in Garland, east of Dallas. There were multiple explosions there overnight.
The facility on Shiloh Road caught fire just after 1 a.m. Monday.
Firefighters don’t know yet what sparked it but said the flames caused several explosions that rocked nearby homes and businesses, including the Garland police headquarters.
People who live and work near the facility, located off Shiloh Road, near Forest Lane, said they were literally shaken awake by the series of blasts that began just before 1:30 in the morning.
"It felt pretty hard. Like the whole house shook. I thought somebody was trying to break in or something. I didn't realize it was something else until somebody else told me," said Giovanny Gamboa, who felt the explosions from miles away. "I felt the shake. I came and investigated myself. I didn't expect it to be something this far away."
Dave Casper was at work next door at Aston Global and said he felt particles from the ceiling falling around him.
"All we saw was this big explosion, this big fireball. I mean, the whole plant at Sherwin Williams was engulfed in flames," he said.
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Casper said his main goal was to get his co-worker and himself out of their building safely.
"I went right into reactive mode. Whenever you hear a blast or a disaster like that you just, your adrenaline kicks in, and you just take what you believe is the right thing to do every time," he said. "We’re probably 150 feet away from where the blast took place, so we’re not that far. The building is only about 50 feet on the other side of the fence from our location. So, there’s not much room between us."
The Garland Fire Department responded within minutes and called for extra personnel immediately.
A spokesman said firefighters working on 16 apparatus, including 9 fire trucks, were able to get the fire contained within an hour and a half.
"This is an industrial building in an industrial area, but within radius of homes," said James Dugger with the Garland Fire Department.
Officials said one Sherwin Williams worker was treated at the scene and then later taken to the hospital for minor injuries.
The rest of the employees were evacuated and accounted for.
Forest Lane between International and Shiloh Road was closed to traffic for hours causing trapped tractor trailers to sit idle.
There were no evacuations but people who live in the area were asked to stay indoors because of the burning chemicals.
Jim Norris, who lives nearby, said he and his wife will be wearing masks as a precaution.
"Her being on dialysis being diabetic, chemical fumes are definitely not something you want them to smell or anyone to smell," he said. "Very lucky. With chemical plants, you never know. They could do massive harm. These explosions were unreal."
Officials say the Richardson Fire Department HAZMAT team will monitor the situation as the investigation into what sparked the fire plays out.
The city has requested assistance from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The EPA has also been asked to conduct fly-over monitoring assessments.
The city says test results show that there is no need to evacuate the surrounding area.
If the tests identify any hazards, the city says it will immediately notify people in the affected areas.