CHENNAI: A fire broke out once again at the Kodungaiyur landfill on Friday around 10 pm, prompting a dousing operation until midnight by the Fire and Rescue Services and the Greater Chennai Corporation personnel. The blaze was brought under control after a few hours, sources said. This is the second fire incident at the landfill within a week, with the previous incident occurring on June 21.
The residents living nearby told TNIE the firefighters were battling the blaze until at least 11.30 pm. While the prevailing winds carried the smoke westward, the impact was limited in the nearby residential areas, which are located to the east. Yet, the thick billowing smoke caused breathing discomfort for some residents, they said.
TK Shanmugam, president of the Federation of North Chennai Residential Welfare Associations, said, “Every time the dumpyard catches fire, the public have to suffer. Yet these incidents keep recurring. Is the biomining work being carried out without proper supervision? If monitoring officials are present at the site, why are they unable to detect and control the fire before it spreads?” he asked.
He urged the GCC to identify and take action against the officials responsible for supervising the site and ensure adequate safety measures and emergency response mechanisms are put in place to prevent such incidents.
A corporation official said the fire did not occur in the biomining area but in the section where fresh municipal waste is dumped.
The incident occurred due to the presence of methane gas generated from the waste, which reacts with plastic and other combustible materials. “Nearly six fire tenders were in service last night, and the fire was brought under control within about an hour of receiving the alert,” the official said.