Dump closed as fire continues to burn

| 23/09/2019 | 23 Comments
Cayman News Service
Cayman Islands Fire Service uses ground monitors at the Grand Cayman dump

(CNS) Firefighters and staff at the George Town landfill have found that the latest dump fire, which started Sunday morning, is deep seated and proving difficult to tackle. Officials said the facility has been closed until further notice to allow the Cayman Islands Fire Service and Department of Environmental Health to control this hot-spot. Fire crews were at the landfill overnight and they are still working with the DEH to properly extinguish the fire and prevent re-ignition.

“There is no risk to public safety at this time, with little or no visible smoke, as response operations continue throughout today,” the DEH stated. However, the site will remain closed until all the assessments are concluded.

Anyone needing to drop off waste should go to the container drop off at the front gate, which remains in operation, but they should expect delays until additional equipment and personnel can be deployed to service the gate. Members of the public are advised to avoid attending the landfill until further advice is given.


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Category: Local News

Comments (23)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    People move on there is no story here.
    Your government has done nothing about the dump in a most irresponsible fashion and no action is to be expected anytime soon. The port will fix everything so move on…

  2. Anonymous says:

    Theses are chemical and oil fires, they are extremely dangerous to control or extinguish!
    We are lucky theses are smoldering, because they are underground and do not have oxygen to burn rapidly. If theses fires ever reached to the surface we could have a uncontrollable disaster in Cayman.

    The CIG and Fire service is lying to the public on the dangers of theses fires.

    The entire public and the schools and surrounding buildings should be very concerned.
    If this dump ever had a major fire we do not have helicopters to dump chemical extinguisher on them.

    Other then the danger on the roads the dump could destroy surrounding buildings as well as the continuing poison of the environment.

    I live at lakeside and see them spraying water all night every night.
    Chemical/oil fires can’t be stopped with water the oxygen has to be blocked.

    Theses are not wood camp fires!

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    • Rape & Privilege says:

      Thank the developer of your condo complex for putting you smack bang down wind of the dump. Then again, thank the illustrious CPA for allowing such a travesty and same goes for the CIS.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Safety info from wiki

        Methane is nontoxic, yet it is extremely flammable and may form explosive mixtures with air. Methane is also an asphyxiant if the oxygen concentration is reduced to below about 16% by displacement, as most people can tolerate a reduction from 21% to 16% without ill effects. The concentration of methane at which asphyxiation risk becomes significant is much higher than the 5–15% concentration in a flammable or explosive mixture. Methane off-gas can penetrate the interiors of buildings near landfills and expose occupants to significant levels of methane. Some buildings have specially engineered recovery systems below their basements to actively capture this gas and vent it away from the building. Landfills are the single largest source of U.S. man-made methane emissions.[78]

        Methane gas explosions are responsible for many deadly mining disasters.[79] A methane gas explosion was the cause of the Upper Big Branch coal mine disaster in West Virginia on April 5, 2010, killing 29.[80]

        Industrial processes which produce methane are often required to control or abate their methane emissions, along with other VOCs. A thermal oxidizer is the most common type of air pollution control equipment used to reduce methane emissions.[81]

      • Anonymous says:

        Exactly! Apparently some parents are ok with their children be schooled at the foot of the dump while they complain; just to be able to boast about having them at CIS. What a travesty.

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      • Anonymous says:

        It boggles my mind why they (lakeside owners) have not sued the government yet. There are like at least 55 violations.

        Google “City of Fort Myers dumped toxic sludge in Dunbar”. “2nd complaint filed against the City of Fort Myers over Dunbar Sludge”.”Class Action Against Fort Myers, FL Seeks Court Order to Remove Contaminated ‘Sludge Dump’ in Dunbar Neighborhood”

        Don’t sit on your a$$, or wait for your own Erin Brokovich. ACT! You can do it!

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        • Anonymous says:

          There is a huge difference, dumping sludge in Dunbar is illegal, lakeside was developed near the existing dump. They can only blame themselves for going there. Same applies to the school.

      • Anonymous says:

        If you recall at the time the condo complex was built, buyers were told that THE DUMP was soon going to be removed by the developer / seller.

    • Anonymous says:

      Nah true bobo. Leave the firefighting to the Caymanian heroes.

  3. Anonymous says:

    What does it matter? Its not as if there’s any risk to nearby communities, and certainly nobody would let a school be built or homes or offices right door to it, because that would probably be illegal or at least seriously stupid

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Suing your government would be a win no matter the verdict.

    Democracy is built on the concept that citizens give power to government, not the other way around. Public trust is a foundational aspect of democratic government.

    Your government’ inactions to timely remediate the Dump and implement effective and efficient waste management system have precipitated a violation of the equal protection clause. Cayman youth will be disproportionately affected by the future consequences of poisoned environment stemming from the ever growing open air dump, its fires, leachate and potential for disease(s) spreading by rats, insect, birds and mammals.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    I don’t wish that, but unless something really dramatic happens, your leaders would continue doing nothing.
    Who is next from your government to receive cancer or neurological disorder diagnosis? No one is invincible.

  6. Anonymous says:

    While Joey fiddles in Monaco

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  7. Sparky says:

    I thought the plans were to incinerate the garbage anyway. Let it burn.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Then you deserve what will come out of it. Move your children off the island first. They are innocent.

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      • Anonymous says:

        No need. The Mexicans are the only ones downwind, and by the time the air reaches them most of the poisons will have dissipated.

        Thank you however for reiterating how important it is to have the dump on the western (downwind) side of the Island.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Not before every sq.inch of Grand Cayman including every molecule and atom in your body is contaminated.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Where you at Joey?

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