Flames and thick smoke tore through a recycling yard in southeast Houston on Tuesday morning, sending first responders scrambling to contain a blaze at the Ironman Scrap Metal facility on Goodyear Drive. Aerial footage showed massive flames and billowing smoke rising from the property as crews worked to put out the fire.
The blaze broke out at the Ironman Scrap Metal facility at 1919 Goodyear Drive, according to ABC13 Houston, which reported that SkyEye13 flew over the scene and captured the flames from above. First responders were still working to put out the fire as of Tuesday morning, and the station's report notes that its crew was headed to the scene to gather more information. The cause of the fire remains undetermined, per the same account.
The facility is operated by Ironman Metals LLC, a 7-acre recycling operation that accepts commercial, residential, and industrial scrap metals, according to the company's own description of its business. The company is registered with the Texas Department of Public Safety as an active Metal Recycling Entity under registration number 101551, a designation the state requires of any business that purchases or processes regulated scrap metals.
A Second Major Scrap Yard Fire in Weeks
Tuesday's fire comes just seven weeks after another major blaze tore through Mammoth Metal Recycling in Houston's East End, where flames burned for hours across June 23 and 24 and sent dark smoke drifting over the city, as reported by KHOU. That incident sparked community concerns over the proximity of industrial recycling sites to residential neighborhoods.
In the aftermath of the Mammoth fire, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality opened an investigation and found the site lacked required state scrap tire recycling registrations, according to KPRC Click2Houston. It remains unknown whether TCEQ or Harris County Pollution Control has initiated any air or environmental monitoring in response to Tuesday's fire at Ironman Scrap Metal, and whether the Goodyear Drive facility was in full compliance with local fire operational permits has not been established.
What Local and State Rules Require of Scrap Yards
Harris County regulations governing metal recycling entities require that outdoor material stockpiles not be stored higher than six feet within 10 feet of perimeter fencing, and they mandate routine inspections by fire and health officials, according to the Harris County Permit Office. Those storage limits exist specifically to reduce rapid fire spread and preserve access for firefighters battling blazes at these sites.
Facilities that generate, store, or transport scrap tires must also register annually and obtain local permits under Chapter 39, Article VIII of the City of Houston Code of Ordinances, per the City of Houston. The city spends more than $1 million annually addressing illegal tire disposal and the fire hazards that come with it. Separately, Harris County Fire Code regulations require industrial facilities to secure operational permits for outdoor storage of scrap tires exceeding 1,000 cubic feet or lithium-ion batteries exceeding 15 cubic feet, according to the Harris County Fire Code Hub.
Why Scrap Metal Fires Are Especially Hard to Extinguish
Fires at recycling and scrap yards pose distinct challenges for firefighters because of the mixed combustible materials often present, including discarded lithium-ion batteries and residual oils. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration warned in updated guidance issued in January 2026 that lithium-ion batteries entering scrap yards carry severe workplace fire risks, since they can undergo rapid thermal runaway and ignite with little warning when crushed or shredded.
Federal emergency guidance from the U.S. Fire Administration adds that industrial scrap and metal fires generate intense heat, release toxic off-gassing, and carry a high risk of reignition even after surface flames appear to be extinguished. Thermal runaway and dense material piles can make these fires exceptionally difficult to fully put out, which is why crews often monitor scrap yard sites for extended periods after the visible flames are knocked down.
Texas law also places restrictions on what recyclers can do with fire-damaged material. Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1956 prohibits metal recycling entities from purchasing metal wire that has been burned, melted, or smelted unless there is official documentation proving the damage resulted from an accidental fire, a rule intended to prevent illegal burning and regulate how damaged scrap is processed.
The Goodyear Drive fire also lands amid a broader pattern of scrap metal blazes across the region. Hoodline previously reported on a scrap yard fire in northwest Houston in 2024 and on a separate scrap metal fire at a Gerdau Steel facility in 2025 in which no injuries were reported. As of Tuesday morning, no injuries had been reported in connection with the Ironman Scrap Metal fire, and the precise origin of the flames remained undetermined.
