DALLAS (AP) _ Thousands of tires ordered removed years ago are burning in an abandoned East Texas lot.
Flames from the fire in Hawkins are giving off a toxic smoke that’s forced the small town’s evacuation.
There were no reports of injuries involving the estimated 150,000 tires ablaze at the site.
The superintendent of the Hawkins Independent School District, Dan Rose, said they had to shut down the server, computer access and air conditioning units so that we would not draw any of the fumes of the fire into the building.
Hawkins schools closed Tuesday and Rose said they would remain closed until they were cleared to resume.
A campus security officer at Jarvis Christian College, Josh Smith, said classes were to resume there in this morning.
Most residents were urged to evacuate the town of about 1,500 located about 100 miles east of Dallas.
State regulators and the attorney general are investigating the owners of the lot .