A pile of mulch the size of a football field caught fire on Tuesday in Fayette County at Nicholson and Sons Lumber in Bullskin Township.
The 100-foot tall pile of mixed hardwood mulch retained too much heat, and eventually started to burn, firefighters said.
Workers said they started seeing smoke three days ago, but on Tuesday, they said, it got so bad they had to call for help.
Five companies showed up to try to douse the hot spots.
"We got three tankers from the neighboring fire companies and then our one engine supplying water," said Asst. Chief Mike Pardoe, of the Bullskin Township Fire Department.
More than 23,000 gallons of water has already been dumped on the mulch fire, all of it trucked in from a nearby water source, but the water wasn't making it to the core of the pile, so crews started to spread it out and wet it down.
Fire crews said it could take days or even weeks to put the blaze out.
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