BUTTE – A fire at a tire warehouse in Butte sent heavy, black smoke into the air and threatened to cause the old, brick building to collapse, fire officials said Thursday.
The fire at the Whalen Tire Distribution Center, which was reported at 3 a.m., was the first of three fires reported in the city over a six-hour span. Fire Chief Jeff Miller said the other two could be human-caused.
Bill Boyle, manager of Whalen’s commercial tire division, said there was about $2 million in inventory in the five-floor building. Two floors are below ground.
Miller said the fire most likely started on the first or second floor before spreading to the rest of the building, fueled by about a thousand tires. Officials have closed off roads and shut off the power in the area and Miller said the building could collapse.
Bob Habeck, an air program manager at the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, said the agency is helping the local county health department monitor air quality. He says the state agency does not have much experience with tire fires, but recognizes they can burn for quite a while.
He said everyone should take precautions based on the smoke level in their area.
“The public is encouraged to keep a distance from this fire and remain indoors to reduce their exposure to smoke,” Habeck said.
Just before 7 a.m. Thursday, a fire was reported at a vacant house about a block from the tire warehouse. Fire broke out near the front door and was quickly contained.
A third fire was reported at 9 a.m. at a large, abandoned building adjacent to the Butte Rescue Mission. Miller said the fire started in an alley and burned a sliding garage door. That fire was also quickly extinguished using fire extinguishers.
Butte police Sgt. Jimm Kilmer said the smaller fires appeared suspicious.
“I think someone’s running around starting fires,” he speculated.