By AP/St. Louis Public Radio
St. Louis, MO – Authorities said children playing with fireworks may have caused a huge mulch fire south of St. Louis.
Firefighters responded to the Simpson Quarry in Arnold Sunday afternoon. It took them more than 12 hours to put the fire out. They pumped water from the nearby Meramec River. Crews returned to the scene Monday to snuff out remaining hot spots.
Ron Harder of the Rock Community Fire Protection District said, at one point, about a quarter million pounds of mulch was on fire.
Investigators found remnants of fireworks nearby. Witnesses said they saw several kids playing in the area just before the fire broke out.
A tree company has a contract to dump the mulch and debris at the quarry.