Electrical short in wiring blamed for Big Tex fire

big tex big tex Photo: . Photo: . Image 1 of / 47 Caption Close Electrical short in wiring blamed for Big Tex fire 1 / 47 Back to Gallery

DALLAS — Dallas fire officials say an electrical short in Big Tex's wiring caused the fiery demise of the towering cowboy who had been an icon of the State Fair of Texas for 60 years.

Dallas Fire-Rescue released the official cause of the fire on Tuesday, saying it was due to an "unspecified electrical short."

The 52-foot-tall cowboy who greeted fair-goers with a "Howdy, folks!" was destroyed by fire on Friday. After the blaze was extinguished, the tarp-covered remains were hauled from the fairgrounds on a flatbed truck in a procession resembling a funeral.

Fair organizers have vowed to rebuild Big Tex for next year.