Trash fire burns pit

WEST ODESSA A 200-foot-wide trash fire lit the night sky near North Neptune Avenue late Friday as West Odessa volunteer firefighters planned to spend at least three hours putting it out.

West Odessa Volunteer Fire Chief Jim Ellis said the trash fire, burning at the bottom of a large pit that was about 30 feet deep, did not cause an imminent threat to any building. It was put out shortly after midnight Saturday.

"We get a lot of this out here," Ellis said of the trash fire while he was fighting it. He believed it was intentionally set.

Patricia Jones, who manages the God's Gift mobile home park across the street from the pit, said she was worried the fire could have climbed out of the pit when she reported the fire at 8:56 p.m.

She and Ellis both said the pit had a lot of wood and discarded pallets.

Two engines and a large water tanker were working the blaze. The fire was visible from West 16th Street.