State Fair mascot Big Tex has gone up in flames. It's still not clear what caused the fire, which is reported to be "under control."
Remembering Big Tex: "Big Tex Gets a Makeover," by Allison V. Smith Alice Laussade's exclusive interview with Big Tex "Big Tex Will Haunt Your Dreams," by Robert Wilonsky
Photos from fair-goers show Big Tex burned to a blackened crisp, surrounded by fire trucks. I live nearby, and I can hear both fire-trucks and helicopters overhead. We'll have more for you as this develops. To quote fellow staff-writer Brantley Hargrove, "I feel like my heart is breaking."
Update, 11:09 a.m.: A State Fair spokeswoman told Fox 4 the fire was seen coming from his neck and might have been "electrical in nature."
More photos below and video below:
Here's the first video we've seen of Big Tex burnin' down.
More photos below, including a really old, not-on-fire one.