Fire broke out around 1:30 pm amidst a (20-tonne) heap of used tyres at a waste recovery facility, which at the time was closed to the public. The head of the compost platform, whose station was located on the other side of where old rubber was being stored, sounded the alarm. When fire-fighters arrived, flames ten meters high were releasing huge curls of smoke. The mound of rubber was inundated by dry ice, composed of a polymer foam to facilitate extinction by forming a film between air and tyres. The fire was extinguished in 1 hour. A deliberate act appeared to be the cause, which was the 4th such accident in 2 years. Tyres were typically stored at the facility until reaching a critical quantity, at which point they were shipped to certified recycling centres. The facility operator filed a police report. A large quantity of spilled water carried many combustion residues; to avoid infiltration, this fouled water was pumped during the afternoon.