BLAIR TOWNSHIP, Mich.-A stubborn tire fire that flared Dec. 29 at a tire shredding facility outside Traverse City, Mich., was expected to continue burning until near the end of January as workers hauled dirt to smother the burning rubber. The fire was detected while workers at Carl's Retreading in Blair Township were operating an outdoor tire shredder, according to the company's co-owner, Steve Hubert. The cause of the fire is undetermined.
In the early days of the fire more than 100 firefighters from 12 area departments and the state Department of Natural Resources helped fight the blaze, according to newspaper reports.
A nearby elementary school cancelled classes during the first week of the fire and four dozen families living nearby were asked to leave during the daytime.
Mr. Hubert said the fire claimed all the 80,000 tires on the 4.5-acre site as well as a 75x100-ft. building where some of the tires were stored. Other reports estimated the firm's stockpile contained 750,000 to 1 million tires.