Big Tex fire and viral footage (State Fair of Texas)

On October 19, 2012 the 55-foot Big Tex figure at the State Fair of Texas in Fair Park was destroyed by a fire; photographs and video of the blaze were widely circulated online and reported by national media. Fair Park organizers removed the damaged structure and a new, rebuilt Big Tex was unveiled the following year. The 2012 fire remains one of the most-viewed single incidents tied to the annual fair on social media and video platforms.