Big Tex to Rise From the Ashes

State Fair of Texas officials are making Big Tex stronger, smarter, less flammable, more expensive in the wake of the massive mannequin’s spectacular, fiery finish to the 2012 fair.

A wiring fault is blamed for a fire that burned Big Tex down to his metal skeleton going into the fair’s closing weekend in October.

Now, fair President Errol McKoy says the fair icon will get a stronger steel frame, a fire suppression system and fire-retardant duds. And, yes, his mouth will still move; so will one of his hands.

The cost will range from $250,000 to $600,000. But McKoy says it’ll be worthwhile, telling The Dallas Morning News: “He didn’t die. He’s going through rehab.”
Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved.