Piles of tires at Lloyd’s shop are against regulations set by the state of Ohio, said Brian Miller, assistant fire chief and fire marshal with the Springfield Fire/Rescue Division.
The code covers things such as how large a pile can be and how much separation must be in between tire piles.
Fire officials have warned Lloyd about the dangers his piles pose since the fall of 2014, according to court records.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges in court Thursday, according to court records, and his case was continued.
If a tire fire were to spark in the city, Springfield crews probably couldn’t handle the blaze, Miller said.
“When they happen it’s a tremendous resource drain, it would really task this fire department to deal with a fire that size,” Miller said.
When flames ignite tires, toxic smoke fills the skies, experts say.
“It’s an inhalation hazard as well as a groundwater contamination issue,” Miller said.
A special fire-fighting foam is needed to fully extinguish those types of fires, he said. If a large fire were to erupt, the only department that might have enough of the foam to aid Springfield would be from the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, he said.
Fire officials in the city have been working since the fall of 2014 to communicate with Springfield tire dealers about extensive, and often wordy Ohio safety codes they must follow.
“It’s not necessarily easy to understand so we gave them a cheat sheet,” Miller said.
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