Water tested for runoff from tire fire...

MUNCIE - Investigations continued Monday into aweekend tire fire at Northwest Auto and Truck Parts, a blaze thecompany's manager believes was intentionally set.

"Somebody had to have done it," said Mike Jones,manager of Northwest Auto and Truck Parts, 3100 N. Buckles Ave.

Jones gave few details but said he thought he knewwho set the fire.

Authorities said about 2,000 tires were at thescene of the fire Saturday night, though only 100 burned.

Muncie firefighters extinguished the blaze thatnight and no injuries were reported.

A pickup truck about 20 feet away was also on firewhen firefighters arrived.

Muncie Fire Department chief fire investigatorDavid Miller said it was unlikely that one fire caused theother.

The truck did not have an engine and lacked manymechanical parts. "There was nothing inside the truck to cause thefire," Miller said. "And tires don't just catch on fire."

Miller would not comment on whether the fires werearson but said he was working with Muncie police.

Officials notified Muncie's Bureau of Water Qualityand the county health board Saturday to sample runoff from waterused to fight the tire fire, said David LePoris, deputy director ofDelaware County Emergency Management Agency.

A burned tire creates about two gallons of oil andcontains metals that can contaminate water sources, LePorissaid.

Any runoff water would have flowed into stormsewers and eventually the duck pond at Ball State University.

Indiana Department of Environmental Management andDelaware County EMA officials did a follow-up inspection Monday anddid not notice any oil contamination in the duck pond, LePorissaid.

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