Tires catch fire at a vacant industrial complex in Syracuse

Syracuse, NY – Tires caught fire Wednesday morning at a vacant industrial facility on Syracuse’s East Side.

The fire was reported around 8:45 am the former company building of Peter Winkelman at 101-13 Greenway Ave. The buildings can be seen from Interstate 690 just east of Teall Avenue.

At times, the smoke from the fire could be seen from more than five miles away.

Firefighters found a large number of burning tires when they first arrived, said Capt. Phillip Vogt, a spokesman for the Syracuse Fire Department. Extinguishing the fire took about 20 minutes.

The facility had a number of former functions, including as a construction warehouse and a machine repair facility. Some of it was part of the state super fund program after hazardous oil leaked from electrical transformers.

It is currently owned by GSI of Virginia, Inc., records show. It has millions of dollars in back taxes dating back to the 1980s.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Staff Writer Jon Moss covers breaking news, crime and public safety. He can be reached at [email protected] or @mossjon7.