15,000 Tons of Tires Are Burning in England. Just Imagine the Smell.

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A firefighter looks upon the fire that erupted at a tire recycling factor in the UK on Thursday.

Image: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images News

By Melissa Goldin2014-01-17 22:54:16 UTC

Approximately 15,000 tons of tires are up in flames at a tire recycling plant in a village in the northeast region of England.

The blaze at Newgen Recycling began at 8:40 a.m. local time on Thursday, and nearly 70 firefighters were on scene monitoring the situation, according to the BBC. The fire's monstrous plume reached up to 6,000 feet — large enough to be picked up by satellites.

A fire crew official told The Guardian that firefighters will let the tires burn out on their own in an effort to minimize the impact of toxins on local waterways. Putting the fire out would also mean a bigger mess to clean up later.

Public health officials claim that not much of a risk exists for local residents, aside from an unpleasant smell, since the smoke is moving over a wide area.

The inferno could continue for days, the county fire chief said. The cause remains unknown, but a full investigation will begin next week once firefighters are able to access the seat of the blaze.