Firefighters found over 140,000 tires burning.
Hawkins Volunteer Fire Department was assisted by 14 other volunteer departments with 32 pieces of apparatus and 42 firefighters as they responded to over 140,000 tires burning.
Initial firefighting efforts lasted for 12 1/2 hours. Once all assisting agencies were on-scene a Unified Command System was set-up. After planning meetings the local departments assisted in water shuttle for another 17 hours.
With cooperation from assisting departments we were able to provide non-stop water supply of 1100 gpm or more continuously for 6 1/2 hours. Water for this effort was shuttled from a nearby lake.
US EPA Region 6, TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality), Texas DPS Emergency Response, TXDOT, Hawkins Police Department, Wood County Sheriffs Department, Champion EMS, American Red Cross and a host of other agencies assisted in the final extinguishing and cleanup of the site.
Continuing investigation of the fire by Local and State Fire Marshals is on-going. The site was abandoned as a Tire Recycling Plant and local officials have been trying to clean up the site for several years.
The owner of the facility has been charged with "illegal dumping over 1000 lbs" and is facing prosecution by local and state agencies.
