19-01-2016 15:00

150,000 tyres went up in flames at a yard in Melbourne. This created a cloud of smoke that could be seen for miles.

Staff from the yard and the nearby industrial area were evacuated as the Metropolitan Fire Brigade deployed dozens of trucks, with more than 100 fire fighters, to tackle the blaze. Those on the ground struggled with the intense heat created by the fire.

Helicopters with fire retardant were called in to help bring the flames under control. The blaze spread to the factory’s shipment containers and nearby grassland as smoke warnings were issued to local residents.

At a community meeting, it was explained how big the task of quelling the fire was.

“Even though we’re making a dent in the fire, this will have a presence there for the next 24 to 36 hours.”

Investigators are looking into the cause of the blaze, but authorities believe it was not suspicious.

Difficult words: tyre (a rubber covering placed around a wheel), deploy (to move into position), tackle (to deal with), blaze (a fire), struggle (to have problems with something), retardant (something which stops other things), quell (to put an end to something), dent (a reduction in size).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com