The ITC Deer Park factory fire could take 2 days to extinguish, according to officials

DEER PARK, Texas (KTRK) – Just five miles (8 km) from the factory where a huge fire burns, a group of young men play basketball in a park in Pasadena.

"We come here after work to get ready, but they canceled us at work because we are right next door," said Joey Rivera.

For the second day, a thick black smoke hovers over the community.

WATCH: Factory Fire Deer Park: What is burning and what schools are affected?

"Last night was really bad, it was hard to breathe," Rivera said. "We stayed inside."

"I'm afraid everyone will get sick," Garcia added.

SEE ALSO: What we know about the chemicals that burn in tanks at Deer Park's ITC factory

The fire has been on since Sunday at around 10:30. It started with a tank from Intercontinental Terminals at La Porte and spread to others. Now six tanks are on fire while rescue teams are working with foam and water to control the spread.

"We were able to distinguish ourselves from the fact that three of our tanks are still on fire and three are intermittent fires," said Alice Richardson, spokesperson for the ITC. "They're blazing, then going down, we're making a lot of progress and putting a foam blanket over it."

The company claims that the independent contractor's CTEH tests are below levels that would represent a public health problem. But not everyone is convinced that we are clear.

"Looking behind me, you may find that it's not normal, that everything is fine," said Corey Williams, director of policy and research at Air Alliance Houston. "The only thing that prevents this from being a major disaster is the favorable weather conditions."

Williams says that there may be a delayed effect and that we could see black particles settle.

"If the situation gets worse, go in and look for shelter," Rivera said.

WATCH: COMPLETE PRESS CONFERENCE WITH OFFICIALS

RELATED: Health Impact of Exposure to Chemicals during a Fire in an ITC Facility

VIDEO: SkyEye shows a plume of black smoke hovering over parts of Harris County after the ITC fire

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