Europe

Fire that raged in vast Spanish tire dump now under control

Associated Press
Published | Updated

A man walks alongside a fence as smoke billows from a fire in Sesena, central Spain, Friday, May 13, 2016. Spanish officials have ordered the evacuation of 9,000 people living in a sprawling apartment complex close to a raging tire dump fire in a town near Madrid. (AP Photo/Paul White) (The Associated Press)

Smoke billows from a fire as a man wearing a mask, points in the direction of apartment blocks in Sesena, central Spain, Friday, May 13, 2016. Spanish officials have ordered the evacuation of 9,000 people living in a sprawling apartment complex close to a raging tire dump fire in a town near Madrid. (AP Photo/Paul White) (The Associated Press)

A man walks across a street between two apartment blocks in Sesena, central Spain, Friday, May 13, 2016. Spanish officials have ordered the evacuation of 9,000 people living in a sprawling apartment complex close to a raging tire dump fire in a town near Madrid. (AP Photo/Paul White) (The Associated Press)

Authorities say a fire that has been raging since last week at a tire dump outside Madrid is now completely under control.

The regional government of Madrid said Monday 14 firefighters are working on tamping down the remaining flames at the 11-hectare (27 acres) dump before decisions will be made about how to dispose of the leftovers.

Thousands of local residents were evacuated after the fire broke out Friday on the dump containing 100,000 tons of tires. Most were allowed to return Saturday.

A regional government statement said four air-quality measuring stations have analyzed pollutants on an hourly basis since the fire broke out.

Carlos Velazquez, mayor of the nearby town Sesena, said it could take 10-12 days for the embers to cool.