A large fire that broke out at a tire recycling facility in Harnett County was caused by a spontaneous combustion, authorities said.
The Harnett County officials said the fire was sparked by spontaneous combustion of organic materials mixed in with ground up tires.
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WRAL's Sky 5 flew over the scene at Liberty Tire Recycling on McKoy Town Road, where crews were seen battling large flames fueled by windy conditions.
Eleven fire departments and forestry units responded to the fire that burned about an acre of grounded up rubber. It took crews several hours to extinguish the fire.
Neighbors told WRAL the smell of burning rubber seeped into their homes as smoke drifted across the area throughout the evening.
The shifting winds also created dangerous conditions for first responders working to put out the flames.