EPA officials say Puerto Rico's government called them into help at the Integrated Waste Management Tire site in Penuelas and they spent some USD 400,000 on the cleanup.
The pile of tires was 18 metres high, 46 metres long and 18 metres wide. The EPA said the pile caught fire in August 2008 and kept smoldering even though officials partially controlling the burn with dirt.
The EPA said today it is looking for those responsible.