Searching for hot spots: Firefighters monitor what remains of tire recycling fire

MILWAUKEE -- 24 hours later after it broke out, crews remained on the scene of a large fire at a tire recycling business on Milwaukee's north side. Smoke rose Friday, Feb. 9 from the sprawling Tires Express property at 32nd and Locust.

"Just a lot of smoke coming from in between these two houses across the street from me -- and them spraying water and stuff down on that building over there," said Sabreen Redd, who lives near the fire scene. Redd had her hands full on Friday. With Milwaukee Public Schools closed, the kids were home.

A block away, firefighters had to do their own monitoring. They are still looking for hot spots flaring up inside the tire recycling business -- where flames burned brightly the night before. "They had the streets blocked off with the police and everything," Redd said. Red said despite all the commotion Thursday night, she did not know what was happening.

"I thought it was a car accident or something because I didn't look out the front window. I saw a lot of police and stuff down there and I thought it was just a car accident," Redd said.

Redd said her dad called and asked if she could see the fire from her house. "I'm like, 'Where?' And that's when I looked out the window and I saw a lot of smoke over there," Redd said. Fire officials say no one was hurt in the fire. To keep it that way, they worked cautiously Friday. The challenge is getting to the back of the property -- where the fire started. Deputy Fire Chief David Votsis said that part of the business is now structurally unsafe.

Votsis said crews could stay on the scene for another day or two. He said they do not yet know the cause of the fire. In fact, Votsis said they have not even been able to send in the investigators.