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Subscribe to RSSNBCDFW.com compiled cell-phone video clips of the fire; view more videos at: http://nbcdfw.com.
Stunned attendees at the State Fair of Texas witnessed the iconic Big Tex go up in flames Friday morning.
Some fabric that made up the towering structure's hand and sleeves could still be seen as firefighters gathered around the scorched area.
Big Tex's 75-gallon hat, 50-pound belt buckle and slow drawl -- "Howdy, folks!" -- have been greeting fair visitors since 1952. This year's fair, which closes Sunday, had been celebrating Big Tex's 60th birthday.
"It's a great loss for us because of its icon stature," fair spokeswoman Sue Gooding said.
Gooding said she didn't know the cause of the fire but did note electrical controls move Big Tex's mouth and head.
Gooding noted that no one was injured in the fire and added that she expects him to be back for next year's state fair.
"He'll be back, bigger and better than ever," she said.
"Dallas is about Big Things and #BigTex was symbolic of that. We will rebuild Big Tex bigger and better for the 21st Century," Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said on Twitter.
LM Otero / AP
Fire begins to engulf "Big Tex" on Friday in Dallas.
Lm Otero / AP
The burned remains of Big Tex stand at the State Fair of Texas on Friday in Dallas.
Bill Bragg, the voice of Big Tex, said all the fair's safety measures were in place and no one was in any danger. Bragg says the fair will rebuild the iconic statue for next year's fair.
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Dickies, the clothing company that creates Big Tex's wardrobe, sent this statement:
“Dickies® has proudly been the official clothier of Big Tex for 15 years. Although we’re saddened by today’s news, we’re confident that together with the State Fair of Texas, Big Tex will return better than ever in new Dickies apparel,” said Matthew McCartin, VP of Marketing, Williamson-Dickie Mfg. Co.
LM Otero / AP
A worker hangs onto a surviving hand from "Big Tex" on Friday.
Fair organizers are currently dismantling the framework that was not damaged with a crane.
Ironically, Big Tex had only one more weekend to greet visitors at the fair -- it closes for this year on Oct. 21.
The 52-foot-tall statue that welcomes State Fair of Texas visitors caught fire Friday, and an investigation to determine the cause of the flames is underway. NBC's Brian Williams reports.
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Leave a Comment:
HA HA HA HA HA HAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
I live in Texico and I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy to see that!
i am and will always be anti-texan!!!!!!!!!! weeehaaaaa little buckarooo's!!!!!!!!!!
ever visit that craphole Alamo???
ever wonder how they lost the battle???? could it have been the 4ft walls????? hmmmmmm
idiots
Hey, Texico ~ then WHY DON'T YOU get the H*LL out of TEXAS ??? !!! ASAP ???
You WON'T be MISSED ... that I'm SURE OF !!!
The Alamo was never a fortress!!! It was a mission!!! Poor kid go back to school and let the adults talk now.
Exactly right, 1911colt80s ... sapper Kaboom needs to study Texas history ... but we know he won't !! LOL
There are many misconceptions about The Alamo ... it was a Mission, a church, a place for the people ... it was never intended to be a fort or to hold against battle ...
you live in a texaco?
History of Big Tex. He was originally a Santa Claus.
That Big Tex...
"He's so hot right now."
We can do it!
I promise not to miss anything texas provides. Nothing to see there folks.
klondiko
OH, how WRONG you are !!!
The great state of TEXAS has more to SEE - and DO - than at least HALF of the OTHER US states put together !!! LOL
texasmomma.....spoken like someone who hasn't seen much of the world. I've been to Texas....more times than I would ever want to. I don't blame you for sticking up for your home....but the truth is only Texans feel like you do. The rest of us...who have seen much of the rest of our country....and the world for that matter....don't have Texas on our list of great places.
If Austin were removed from the state I wouldn't give a dime for the rest of it.
Kevin D ... but I HAVE seen much of the world ... have YOU ???
I've been to about 40+ of our 50 states, to Canada, Mexico, Central America, Great Britain, Italy etc
I didn't say that the rest of the US or the world isn't great to visit and see ... unlike YOU ... I said that Texas has a TON to see and do !
Guess you don't appreciate wonderful places like the gorgeous Texas Hill Country ? all the cool clear rivers and lakes of the Hill Country ... or the beautiful vistas of Big Bend, BBend National Park, the Davis Mountains, the inspiring Palo Duro Canyons, to the beaches of Padre Island and So. Padre Island ... the great fishing and seafood of the coastal areas, to the quiet, deep pine forests, hills and lakes of East Texas ???
Guess not ... btw, what beautiful state do YOU reside in ??
Big Tex probably had enough of the Cowgirls imploding every Sunday and did himself in with his Tony Oh No lighter to the nuts....
I wonder if he can still say "There's a snake in my boots...."
The comedians are out in full force today /sarcasm/. I hope you all are enjoying your snark.
While I agree this is not national news, it IS a big deal here in Dallas and all over Texas. Big Tex, creepy or not, has been THE symbol of the State Fair of Texas for generations. Since he graduated from being the "World's Largest Santa Claus" in Kerens TX (not making that up) in the late 40s and early 50s, Big Tex has been a landmark for fair-goers. I'd venture to guess that 75% of families in Texas have at least one picture of the kids posed in front of the big guy. I know I do - one of my brother and me from the 70s and one of my kids from a few years ago.
I don't expect out-of-towners (or -staters) to understand, but this is truly a loss.
Want some fries to go with that?
Texas ROCKS!!!!
Meh. In this economy, they should think about downsizing to "Mini Tex."
No, NY MeanMom -
We don't need to downsize here ... the TEXAS ECONOMY is doing GREAT !!!
I agree it may have been some islamic entity (not the Taliban or Al-Qaeda), remember how they blew up those huge buddah statues carved into a mountain in Afghanistan? They just don't like idols of any kind so this wouldn't surprise me. And before anybody gets any idea to call me a racsit or bigot, I've lived and worked in Saudi Arabia and arabs are the biggest racists on the face of the earth.
Guess you've never been to a black neighborhood lately.....
"...arabs are the biggest racists on the face of the earth."
Now that is irony! Using generalizations to call a whole race racist.
Texas ROCKS!!!
So Woody burnt up, big deal.....
Bevo is still the best looking cheerleader at UT. :)
Texas' golden calf is now gone.
Real Life Wicker Man!!!
Baptist terrorists from Kansas, no doubt.
looks like all you non working libs have nothing to do but sit on your ass and look at the internet all day.
texas is great and we have jobs, go screw yourself and worship your muslim leader
He went from a state fair icon to Burning Man all in one day.
he set himself in fire to protest the opression in tibet.
Looks like Obama himself all ablaze. How could this happen?
Hank Hill, "BWAHUHHH"
Should the Homeland Security restriction be an error he should hit them in the ass with a lawsuit the size of Houston.
He now looks like the Cowboys play. Maybe he will be the newest addition to JerryWorld.
Buck Fig Tex.