Fire broke out around 3 pm on 2,000 tonnes of tyres stored on a 1-ha parcel. A strong wind fanned the flames and a plume of black smoke was visible several km around. The response team established a 400-m safety perimeter, evacuated some 50 local residents and confined another 5 residents in a municipal room; a 96-year-old was hospitalised as a precaution. A herd of sheep were also evacuated from a field. Residences were protected by means of a water curtain installed using 4 nozzles. One foam nozzle was mounted as well. Experiencing difficulties with local water supply, fire-fighters used the resources of a river running just 600 m away. The fire was brought under control by around 7:30 pm using two 2,000-litre cannon nozzles and 5 variable flow nozzles. A chemical emergency team performed analyses on both chlorine (Cl2) and ammonia (NH3) in air, with these test results proving negative.

Wind fanned the remaining flames at night. Over 80 fire-fighters worked in shifts until 3rd September to extinguish the blaze. The flames were smothered by spreading dirt and deploying two bulldozers and one excavator. Straw bales were placed on sewer manholes to block the flow of extinction water. Neighbours were allowed to return home on 2nd September around 9:30 am. The fire started in a hedgerow at the edge of the road before spreading to the stockpile of tyres, 80% of which were destroyed. First responders left the scene around 11 am that morning.

Since faulty management was to blame for site damage, the Classified Facilities Inspectorate requested assistance from the ADEME environmental agency to secure the site through waste removal, subsequent environmental monitoring, and installation of a fence. All extinction water was confined within the site boundary, yet a risk of infiltration persisted, along with potential pollution of the LA SEULLES River. Moreover, tyre combustion released toxic substances (e.g. PAHs, metals, dioxin, PCB) capable of contaminating the food chain. A specialised body was contracted to conduct a hydrogeological study in order to assess both the impact of this fire on groundwater quality and the eventual need to set up a monitoring network. Analyses did not reveal any significant impact on either water or soil. The body recommended removing wastes and stripping 10 cm of the site’s topsoil.