WVDOH assists local fire departments and state agencies in battling Monroe County tire fire

West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) crews sent four tanker trucks loaded with water to help battle a tire fire that broke out at a Monroe County landfill over the weekend.

Scott Eplin, in charge of Transportation Security and Emergency Operations for the WVDOH, said a tire fire broke out over the weekend at the HAM Sanitary Landfill near Peterstown. Eplin said a stack of shredded tires about 300 feet long, 60 feet high, and 120 feet wide began burning uncontrollably at the landfill.

State DEP Secretary Harold Ward said the response to the fire is an excellent example of state agencies working together to "pull the rope in the same direction," in the words of Gov. Jim Justice.

"It took one phone call to the WVDOH and they were mobilizing those tanker trucks," Ward said. He said the additional water provided by the trucks allowed emergency responders to get the fire under control quickly and avoid smoke from the tire fire threatening nearby Peterstown.

On Sunday, August 4, 2024, the WVDOH sent a total of four tanker trucks loaded with water to the landfill to help battle the blaze. The fire was brought under control at about 4 a.m. Monday, August 5, 2024.

"This thing was bigger than a football field," Eplin said.

The WVDOH was one of numerous state agencies involved in battling the blaze, including the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), West Virginia Emergency Management, West Virginia Department of Homeland Security, and local emergency services and volunteer fire departments.

"Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston demands cooperation with sister agencies," Eplin said. "The Department of Transportation stands ready to assist other state agencies in protecting and serving our residents' best interests."

Ward said cooperation between state agencies has been a hallmark of Gov. Justice's administration.

"We're to cut through the red tape and get it done," he said.​

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