Tire business fire continues to smolder 24 hours after it first erupted

SUBURBAN WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Nearly 24 hours after a fire erupted inside a suburban West Palm Beach tire business, county firefighters remained on scene Sunday night battling the blaze.

Into the night, crews would roll out their hoses every time they noticed smoke billowing from the building.

Firefighters could be seen dosing the charred building with what seemed like an endless amount of water on Sunday night.

"You got to understand there was a large amount of tires in there and when the tire burns it burns for a long time," said Captain Nicolas Duffy, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.

The flames continued to burn for so long that a "fire watch" was initiated.

Duffy and his crews called the cab of their truck home since early Sunday morning. Late into the night, they kept a close eye on the darkness, waiting for a spark to ignite the flames.

"We have to make sure the nearby businesses right next to the fire building are safe and it's not going to flare up or cause any extra damage to the buildings next to them," said Duffy.

Also standing by with a sharp eye, Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents. The federal officers would not comment about their visit, but a fire investigator said the agents were called in for their assistance and resources.

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue said there will be a crew outside the tire store until at least 7:30 a.m. Monday.