The fire forced officials to issue a shelter-in-place order for many residents. That shelter-in-place order was lifted just before 10pm.
The smoke could be seen for miles
"Black smoke. Lots of black smoke. We made it to the grocery store two or three miles from here. Still could see it over there," Debbie Grigg said.
The explosions could be heard down the street.
"I was asleep at my mom's and I heard a boom and my house shake," Rachel D. said.
The intense two-alarm fire at Global Plastics Co. kept firefighters busy into the late hours Sunday.
"The color does tell us there's a lot of the plastics," said Mark Beaver, spokesperson for the Pasadena Fire Department.
Summer heat and a hot blaze combined to create tough conditions.
One firefighter was transported for heat exhaustion. Low water pressure due to the sheer size of the fire created additional challenges.
"[We're] trying to boost the pressure and were having to pump from the hydrants to our ladder pipes for aerial approach," Beaver explained.
The shelter-in-place affected homeowners nearby for hours.
"It's burning this way now. It was going that way. I can smell a little bit. I'm concerned, but it's no worse than what we already smell from the plants," Grigg said.
Just the sight of the fire made for a very unnerving Sunday afternoon
"I kept saying, 'Dear God, don't let anybody be inside. God just don't let anybody be hurt," Rachel D. said.
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