Shelter In Place Notice Issued After WilCo Chemical Plant Fire

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — Officials on Thursday evening issued a shelter-in-place notice for residents living within a one-mile radius of chemical plant fire in an unincorporated area of the Williamson County.

The notice was lifted shortly after 8:35 p.m., more than three hours after it was first issued.

Administrators of the "Preparing Wilco" Twitter page maintained by the Williamson County Office of Emergency Management issued the notice just before 5:15 p.m. The alert was issued a fire at the CPI Products plastics plant at 4100 FM 1105 in Walburg, Texas, spewed huge plumes of smoke following a structure fire with chemicals involved, officials said.

"You are instructed to take shelter in your residence and close all exterior doors & windows, turn off heating and A/C," officials wrote.

Just over an hour later, officials downgraded the alert to those living north of the plant while urging them to be vigilant of wind direction in taking precautionary measures: "Residents north of 4100 FM 1105 & upwind of the fire do not need to shelter in place. Be aware of shifting winds & if the wind shifts towards you, shelter in place by closing all windows/doors & turning of heating & A/C."

Some three hours later, emergency officials lifted the notice once the fire was put under control. The cause of the conflagration was not immediately known.

No injuries were reported.

Street view image of the CPI Plastics plant via Google Maps.

According to the CPI Plastics website, the plant specializes in a process called rotational molding, which involves the heating of powder polymers a hollow mold as it rotates slowly around an axes. As the polymers soften, officials wrote on the website, they begin to stick to the walls of the mold to form the predetermined product.

Originally called Concordia, Walburg is an unincorporated area located at the crossroads of Farm to Market Road 972 and Farm to Market Road 1105 in Williamson County located some 33 miles northeast of Austin.