Former Houston City Council member—and Harris County Judge candidate— Letitia Plummer is calling for more transparency from local and state agencies after a massive tire fire sent a towering plume of black smoke over Houston’s East End, even as officials say air quality readings remain below federal levels of concern.
“The people who live next to this site deserve to know what’s in the air they’re breathing right now, not next week,” Plummer said in a public statement. “I’m calling on the responsible agencies to publish real-time air monitoring results, clearly communicate with residents in both English and Spanish about any health precautions, & make the facility’s operator, permit status, and prior complaints public once the fire is contained.”
Update from @HoustonFireon the three alarm fire at a recycling facility near Kellogg St. & Lawndale St. in Houston’s East End.Currently, there are no injuries or transports. There are approximately 200 firefighters on location. 📌 Air quality monitoring is underway. 📌 As… pic.twitter.com/ItvquR26zl
— City of Houston (@HoustonTX) June 23, 2026
The fire broke out Monday at a recycling facility near Kellogg and Manchester streets in southeast Houston near the Ship Channel, sending thick clouds of black smoke across parts of the city. Hundreds of firefighters were dispatched to the scene to put out flames in a debris field roughly the size of a football field. Smoke from the fire remained visible for miles on Tuesday…