Texas Recycling Fire Blamed on Spontaneous Ignition
Source Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas
HARLINGEN, Texas -- Monday evening's fire at a tire recycling company is being blamed on "spontaneous ignition," Fire Marshal Danny Warner said Wednesday.
The cause of the fire is preliminary at this point, Warner said, but there is documentation that a fire could spontaneously ignite under particular storage conditions when heat is produced by the tires.
The hot summer temperatures common in the Rio Grande Valley may have contributed to the conditions, he said, adding that he is consulting with the National Weather Service to determine the temperature and humidity leading up to the time that the fire started.
The fire was reported about 6:51 p.m. Monday at Tire Recycling and Processing, 1309 Industrial Blvd., a new business where a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held last week. The company separates tires into various components and resells the reclaimed materials.
The fire began in a semi trailer containing about 600 tires behind the building and spread to two other trailers, one containing another 600 tires and one with shredded tire materials. It sent plumes of thick black smoke into the sky, visible as far away as Rio Hondo. The fire was contained about 8:40 p.m. but firefighters remained on the scene overnight to prevent rekindling.
Warner said Tire Recycling and Processing has already changed its storage conditions and is working with fire officials to prevent another fire from occurring.
The company is adding a step in its process to spray water on tires to reduce temperatures while the tires are stored.
Copyright 2012 - Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
