TYLER COUNTY – The Tyler County Commissioners Court extended a disaster declaration for 30 days, starting last Thursday, Sept. 4, in response to the massive tire disposal/recycling center fire that began on Saturday, August 30.
The declaration, which Tyler County Judge Milton Powers issued on the day the fire began, cites the regional susceptibility to “the threat of potential pollutants and safety issues in our county and surrounding counties due to a hazard material fire and smoke” from the blaze.
Powers said in Thursday’s emergency-called meeting that he wanted to thank everyone in the county’s emergency management for their hard work and dedication at combatting the fire. He thanked Emergency Management Coordinator John Settlocker, whom he said “was out there taking care of everything.”
“So many different businesses also stepped up and helped out,” Powers said, including Woodville Pellets, without which, “we could’ve never controlled the fire.”
The fire, which broke out due to what is being described as a lightning strike, drew a response from nearly 40 different fire departments, regionally, and took several days to contain. It affected two acres at the Local Tire Disposal facility, located on the south end of Woodville. By Wednesday, Sept. 3, it was 100% extinguished.
According to a news release from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), issued on Friday, Sept. 5, investigators and contractors, on site, conducted air monitoring with no detections of concern.
“Shortly after the fire was 100% extinguished…[Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)] issued demand letters to the responsible parties to ensure immediate cleanup and remediation activities begin,” the release noted.
The site owners and operators are required to address the conditions and impacts of the fire, while TCEQ will provide direct oversight until the cleanup is completed.
The EPA noted that air releases from the incident have the potential to impact nearby residences, and that personnel from the Tyler County Emergency Management Office, as well as EPA personnel, and TCEQ are continuing to monitor the impacts.
The Texas Poison Center was notified by EPA of this incident. If you are experiencing any adverse health effects related to this incident, please contact your medical provider. If you cannot reach your medical provider, the Texas Poison Center is available to provide guidance. You can view the Texas Poison Center Website at https://www.poisoncontrol.org or call 1-800-222-1222.
