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.
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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.
A worker looks on as fire crews keep a watchful eye on a huge fire at a tire recycling plant in Sherburn in Elmet, England, on Jan. 16.
Flames and smoke rise into the night sky at the site of a huge fire in tire recycling plant. The plume of acrid smoke can be seen for miles around.
Flames rage at the scene of the huge fire.
Fire crews are planning to let the tires burn themselves out so as not to damage local waterways.
Members of the Environmental Agency clean up a small oil spill in a stream as the recycling plant fire blazes.
A sheep stands surrounded by heavy smoke during the huge fire that set ablaze approximately 15,000 tons of tires at the recycling plant.