Fire erupts at decommissioned electrical plant near San Leon

Fire at decommissioned electrical plant near San Leon

A fire engulfed a decommissioned power plant near State Highway 146, causing a massive smoke plume visible for miles and prompting a limited shelter-in-place order for parts of the nearby bayfront community of San Leon.

SAN LEON, Texas - A fire engulfed a decommissioned power plant near State Highway 146 early Sunday morning, causing a massive smoke plume visible for miles and prompting a limited shelter-in-place order for parts of the nearby bayfront community of San Leon.

Officials say the fire is contained, but it is likely to smolder for a few days.

PH Robinson Power Plant Fire

What we know:

Shortly before 3 a.m., the blaze started at the long-dormant PH Robinson Power Plant, where an old cooler tower caught fire and collapsed. A second tower later ignited, and other parts of the sprawling structure suffered internal collapses as the morning progressed. At its height, a thick black plume of smoke rose more than 200 feet into the air, visible as far away as Galveston and Baytown.

The San Leon Volunteer Fire Department was the first engine company on scene after receiving an initial call for a structure fire. Fire Chief Vincent Garcia said it did not take long for Texas City to assume command and establish an incident command center once the scope of the fire at the power plant was confirmed.

Fire departments from across Galveston County—including League City, Dickinson, La Marque, Santa Fe, Hitchcock, Bayou Vista, and Alvin—joined Texas City, along with nearby departments from Brazoria County, to battle the massive flames.

Texas City Fire Captain Jason Grimm said the immediate priority was securing a water supply to prevent the blaze from spreading to dry grass and igniting a large brush fire.

By 11:30 a.m., officials said the fire was contained but would continue to burn for a while longer.

No injuries have been reported.

Update from emergency officials

Dig deeper:

Firefighters and first responders continued working at the scene throughout the day, with officials confirming the fire has remained fully contained to the former power plant site east of SH 146 and south of FM 646.

Crews will remain on scene overnight to monitor for any potential flare-ups.

Air monitoring in the surrounding communities has returned no significant results, officials said. No injuries or damage to nearby structures or resources have been reported.

Authorities also thanked the numerous agencies and first responders who assisted in managing the incident.

What we don't know:

It's unclear at this time what started the fire.

Limited Shelter-in-Place Order

Air monitoring conducted in the area found no hazardous particulates. The limited shelter-in-place order, issued for areas of San Leon from 8th Street to Galveston Bay, was enacted strictly as a precaution due to winds pushing the heavy smoke toward the community.

Chief Garcia confirmed there was no indication anyone was on the site of the decommissioned plant and that no other structures or neighborhoods were threatened.

Texas City police say HAZMAT will continue to monitor the site.

Company release statement

What they're saying:

KV Land, LLC released this statement on Sunday: "At approximately 2:30 a.m. on Nov. 16, 2025, a fire occurred at the cooling towers located on KV Land, LLC’s property at 5501 Highway 146 in Texas City. The five decommissioned water-cooling towers, previously part of the former P.H. Robinson Power Plant, were situated on a small island surrounded by a canal. The island is adjacent to but separate from the location of a recently proposed desalination plant.

All five towers collapsed as a result of the fire. According to the fire department, the incident appeared to be contained to the island, and response teams have been focused on preventing the fire from spreading. The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time, and no injuries have been reported.

KV Land, LLC has taken immediate steps to ensure public safety, including environmental testing to assist with post-fire safety measures as well as air quality monitoring. KV Land, LLC will continue working closely with emergency responders and local authorities and will provide additional updates as more information becomes available."