Tire fire fouls former scrapyard in Georgia

Corrections/clarifications: The fire occurred Thursday morning. The day was incorrect in an earlier version of this report.

An early morning fire Thursday at an old scrapyard in Georgia consumed a pile of discarded tires and sent plumes of foul smoke billowing over a residential community, according to Town Administrator Michael McCarthy.

Firefighters responded to the blaze at about 4:15 a.m. near Sandy Birch and B&B roads and remained there all morning, McCarthy said. "It was a large, smoky, smelly fire," he added.

No injuries were reported, nor were nearby residences evacuated, McCarthy said.

Firefighters were challenged by wooded terrain along with the nature of the fire, said Jamie Cota, the town's deputy fire chief.

"Tire fires are very, very hard to put out," Cota said; crews donned respirators and tanks while encountering thick, toxic smoke, and foam was deployed to help smother flames.

The cast-off tires covered about an acre, he added.

The cause of the fire, located behind the former B&B Auto Salvage business and near a tributary of Stone Bridge Brook, remains under investigation.

A building associated with the old salvage business burned down in 2011, McCarthy said.

Fire departments from Swanton, St. Albans Town, St. Albans City, Milton, Fairfax, Colchester, St. Michael's College and Essex did "a spectacular job" responding to the incident, McCarthy said.

Ray Bouffard, owner of Georgia Market, donated food and water to firefighters at the scene, McCarthy added.

The New Hampshire/Vermont Region of the American Red Cross supported firefighting efforts with drinks and sandwiches, according to a statement from the organization Thursday morning.