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Smoke-filled sky over Bristow as fire burns at tire recycling plant

Posted at 8:13 AM, Aug 02, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-02 21:09:40-04

BRISTOW, Okla. — Emergency response crews are on the scene after a fire broke out at a Bristow tire recycling plant early Monday morning.

Crews responded shortly after hearing there was a fire at the Oklahoma Tire Recycle facility after 3 a.m.

When they arrived, the fire was large enough that they did not have enough water to put it out. Due to tires having a high petroleum fuel load, they are hard to put out once on fire. Crews have kept the blaze contained without spreading and letting it burn out naturally.

"When a tire fire occurs, the tires break down into compounds that are hazardous to human health and the environment, generally including: caustic gases, heavy metals and various hydrocarbons associated with the oil and other chemical feedstock used to produce the tires," said the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.

"Air emissions from a tire fire are dependent on many factors, and we do not know the exact chemicals being emitted from the fire in Bristow."

The DEQ is asking vulnerable populations to stay indoors to avoid prolonged exposure to the low air quality.

It's expected the fire will continue burning for the rest of the day and possibly into tomorrow.

No injuries have been reported so far.

At this time, emergency crews know the fire was set due to the fact there's no power source where the fire started at the facility.

This is a developing story. We'll continue to update as we learn more.


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