Dump fire contained but still burning
The Cayman Islands Fire Services battles the dump fire 
The Cayman Islands Fire Services battles the dump fire 
The Cayman Islands Fire Services battles the dump fire 
The Cayman Islands Fire Services battles the dump fire 
The Cayman Islands Fire Services battles the dump fire 
Cayman Islands Fire Service crews at the George Town dump fire 
Smoke from the dump fire 
Smoke from the dump fire 
Smoke from the dump fire 
View of the smoke from North Sound 
View of the smoke from CIS 
View of the smoke from CIS 
View of the smoke from CIS
(CNS) UPDATED: Chief Fire Officer Paul Walker has warned that the blaze currently burning at the vehicle recycling area at the George Town landfill could take days to put out. But in an updated press release on Saturday, officials said Cayman Islands Fire Service (CIFS) crews had worked through the night to bring the fire under control. While the visible flames are out, the scrap cars are still burning and crews will press on excavating and turning the smouldering and smoking areas as the battle to extinguish the fire continues.
The thick black smoke plume, which was visible across the entire island Friday, still exists and smoke will continue rising from the remaining deep seated fires as they are exposed and doused, officials added.
Preventing re-ignition remains a priority for CIFS, and speaking from the scene, the fire chief expressed his pride in the crews who have worked around the clock on this serious blaze.
“A very challenging fire involving mixed waste materials, difficult access, limited water supplies and variable winds is now under control,” he said, as he added his gratitude to the Department of Environmental Health, the RCIPS, the National Roads Authority and other government departments that have pitched in. The blaze was believed to have started in the area where the private waste firm, Island Recycling, operates. They have also provided help in the efforts to tackle to fire.
Yesterday Walker outlined some of the challenges crews were facing as they tried to contain the blaze. “Tackling a fire at any recycling plant always has its challenges due to the combination of materials with differing combustion characteristics found at the site,” he said. “This will mean the incident is likely to be a protracted one that we will be tackling over the coming few days.
“Changing wind directions and a long fire front have meant the need for us to change our strategy as required in order to contain the fire. Our crews are working tirelessly to bring the fire under control and to a swift end,” he added.
Fire crews from both West Bay and the Central Fire Stations were deployed to the scene, with officers at the Frank Sound Fire Station providing cover for the rest of Grand Cayman while their colleagues tackle this fire. The DEH also sourced more heavy equipment from the National Roads Authority to help those fighting the fire, and arrangements were made with private sector companies to drill additional wells to help with the necessary water supply.
The authorities urged residents and businesses affected by the smoke plume to keep windows and doors closed until the fire has been put out. The public and building managers should also monitor their air-conditioning units to ensure that smoke is not drawn into buildings or homes. The Public Health Department said anyone exposed to the smoke who develops respiratory symptoms, such as a cough or shortness of breath, should visit or contact a healthcare facility for assessment.
Meanwhile, the main George Town Landfill site is still operational, as that area is unaffected by the fire. Crews will continue to work throughout the day with the aim of completely extinguishing the blaze. Officials also stated that once the fire is out, a full investigation will be conducted by CIFS into how it ignited .
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1. The dump was there long before the school and any nearby houses/apartments. Blame Planning for allowing idiots to build in those areas. The land was mangrove swamp so to destroy the natural environment just to build that close to an existing landfill is simply stupid.
2. No-one posting seems to have realised the significance of where the fire started. It has nothing to do with the use of cutting torches, more to do with who has the contract to remove the crushed cars and tyres. There is no secure fence on that side of the dump.
Isn’t it time for Cayman “Citizens Leading Environmental Action Network”?
I recommend parents of international school read this article
Dreams dashed on contaminated land
https://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/20091220/NEWS/912200322
We have a horribe recycling program here. Get the prisoners and the bums to clean up the dump hand sort pick and recycle “already spending 80k on them per year. Pay em min wage if so or 3 meals.
while they are going to “investigate”,
25/01/2020 at 3:05 pm has wrapped it up for them ALREADY in few sentences:
“The recycling regulations in pretty much every First World country (I come from the UK) require that ELVs (end of life vehicles) are cleared of all hazardous materials before they’re processed. This includes oil, fuel, hydraulic fluid, batteries, tyres and even lead balance weights. That work is also required to take place on a sealed (as in concrete) surface.”
25/01/2020 at 2:43 pm gives good advice to Lakeside residents:
“…Persons ranging from individuals to class-action groups can sue builders, developers, soil consultants, grading contractors and engineers over such things, and it’s not unusual for accused groups to pass the buck to the other parties. Many buyers can sue sellers, too.
So “lawyer up,” which would be expensive unless you can hire a firm on a contingency basis.”
25/01/2020 at 5:57 pm says:
“…File lawsuit not just to seek the maximum possible damages, but forcing someone take responsibility..”
and finally:
25/01/2020 at 11:30 am
“.. don’t bring your kids back to International school until after it was inspected by independent certified and licensed professionals. Remember, the entire HVAC system could be contaminated with soot and fire byproducts.”
If West Bay ladies could do it, so can you.
Yes sue their backsides off running around looking down their noses in their high price$$$ SUV,s after they left us to clean up their friggin mess at the dump.
You are right 535pm they need to be sued but until these toxic fumes starts choking those who live in their Patrick’s avenue and Southward lane mansions this won’t be resolved and that is the real problem in Cayman it rarely effects those who cause the problems.Dart lawsuit could very well remedy that though.
First I would like to thank the firefighters that risked their lives to out this fire. I believe Dart should give you guys a big fat bonus considering, you don’t know what the future holds with your health. Secondly, I read a lot of comments here stating to sue the government. Correction, I believe the management of mount trashmore is under the the remit of Dart and his Monaco VPs. Thirdly, why isn’t nearby homes, vehicles, trees and roads being washed from these toxic fumes? I hope we can put the port deal to rest now as this recent incident has shown how incompetent our leaders are and how insensitive all the relevant agencies and Dart are, namely the planning department and the boards who approved a school, offices, homes and condos next to the Dump! I am sadden for those that will be get sick and potentially die from the toxins that is leaching around the dump. Hope you sue the socks of all those involved who placed greed before a persons well being.
Please jail all those running round here with their fancy AUDI and Mercedes SUV’s whilst we living under this toxic cloud.
Why? Maybe jail the people who charge exorbitant ‘scrappage fees’ when all that happens is cars end up at the dump. Where does that money go?????
And the relevance of the car you drive to the toxic cloud is….? Or do you just really, really dislike people who drive German cars? Jailing them seems a little extreme tho. Unless you think the Audi and Merc drivers started the fire?
Why?
Because people here should only drive Caymanian-made automobiles.
The good news is the Coronavirus won’t stand a chance near the dump.
If my kids get sick better be sure I’m suing the sh*t out of everyone
Every time you go to Kirk Market you can smell the stink from Trashmore.
It is just getting worse
Two new hotels soon be soaking up the sweet scents too.
Unfortunately most of those responsible for this terrible situation at DEH have now been either given huge $$$$$ pay packages or set up in new office digs We are left now with these ticking Time bombs at mount Trashmore and to breathe these toxic fumes when they ignite and burn or billow across Georgetown. A commission of inquiry into those individuals is desperately need Cayman instead of continuing to reward incompetence and corruption in Government. Citing these persons for their misconduct in public office is at least some form of justice to all those expose to this cancer causing shit we keep having to breathe in and expose our hardworking Fire Service staff to.
All the blame for this have to be put on former MLA from Bodden Town. You all know who he is. He is the one who objected to the relocation of the dump in the first place.
Unless people living near Dump file lawsuits, not just to seek the maximum possible damages, but to force CIG take responsibility, Nothing will ever change.
Not just living. Those working and going to SCHOOL there too! How are you still going to send your children to school after Daddy Dart moved a dump right next to it and not take any action? Class Action Lawsuit his ass!
Minor point, Dart didn’t move the dump next to the school, he built the school next to the dump. Same effect of course, however no doubt it was expected that the ongoing dump operations would be moved to Bodden Town and Trashmore would be rehabilitated. That may still be the long game but its taking much longer than originally planned.
I was part of presentations to two separate Ministers responsibile and their staff. These were 10-15 years ago and included a comprehensive plan to remediate the existing dump, process refuse going forward (no burn) along with a full recycling programme that would actually work given its focus.
Not interested was basically the effect of lack of real feedback from Gov’t.
And here we are today…….Shame on everyone involved.
I say the public march to enact the law that allows this government to be substantially fined for gross negligence of failing to act thus resulting in dangerous, hazardous living conditions.
Marching won’t help. You gotta vote those self-serving creeps OUT!
No risk basic assessment as to probable sources of fire in the recycling process? Did the $*M spent on consultants recommend fire suppression systems in the area where fire broke out? My guess is what another commenter hedged at, oxy torch runaway fire.
Sad outlook for the downwinders when the WTE fires up!
But we have 2 brand new 737 Max 8’s and 2 more on order; we have 2 brand new helicopters; we building a $200M cruise port; we approving 10-story hotels left and right but . . . . the dump – dat can wait!
STOP ELECTING THE SAME IRRESPONSIBLE and UNCARING PEOPLE!!
Everyone monitor your health. Be prepared to sue the govt. The cancer rate on this Island per capita is higher than most other jurisdictions. Wonder Why? ??
“The cancer rate on this Island per capita is higher than most other jurisdictions”
Often stated. Care to back that up with scientific evidence?
Ask how many children who attended / attend CIS have had cancer the past 10 years?
That’s right 11:39! Cayman is a very small place and being the dump is amongst the mangrove It is leaching all of the heavy metals right out into the northsound.
Just take a look at the muck seeping out from the dyke roads behind Progressive area (where the old barge is). Ontop of that whenever it catches on fire the smoke is extremely toxic loaded with carcinogens that can cause serious respiratory and neurological problems. The dump may indeed be a ticking time bomb exploding randomly but what alot of us fail to realise is that the leaching is the silent killer! Its going into our sound, groundwater which many of us water our crops, gardens and even bathe with! Unfortunately Cayman is terrible when it comes to taking care of the environment. From back in the days when the old timers used to dump 55gallon drums of DDT into the dyke roads to control the mosquito population to the spray plane (which is really a crop duster plane) spraying us in the 80’s with diesel based insecticides and then the dump! So yes we are paying for what was done in the past and if we dont change then we and our children will end up paying the price.
Started in the vehicle recycling area. Good chance someone with a cutting torch was removing parts to sell or use from the scrap cars. The ground would be soaked with old engine and transmission oil, and stale gasoline. The cars are loaded with plastic, rubber, insulation and paint. Good planning at work!
Planning? What is planning? We do not do planning.
We need more registered voters. Caymanians – you’re gonna take this with no upset?? Get up stand up!
No point in increasing the voter pool if the pool of eligible and willing politicians is still the same shallow (in numbers and intellect) puddle. Need to get rid of some of the archaic rules designed to limit the Legislative Assembly to the few – start off with the Caymanian grandparent requirement (hell, even the US presidency only requires the candidate to be a citizen born inside the US, that that their grandparents were), the dual nationality limitation (although that is ignored when its convenient!) and the limitation on people who don’t travel outside the country (unless on government business). In a combination those rules exclude of the brightest and best professionals and those demonstrably committed to social service at a stroke – and no doubt, deliberately so.
Dwayne Seymour. If you thought dealing with CayMas was a “challenge”, I got something better for you.
I think Dwayne finds most things a challenge. That’s why its easier just to do what he is told (ir rather, accept instructions not to do anything at all! – just collect the cheque)
Everywhere else in the world a press conference would be held every few hours, protective masks distributed and a shelter setup for those who live under the smoke path. International school inspection for smoke damages- soot, ash etc. would be already scheduling to make sure it is safe for kids to return. The entire HVAC system could be in need of replacement.
I agree. A quick google will tell you how dangerous living near a landfill is. There are many studies, peer reviewed, which reflect the dangers involved.
So the fire is in “a privately operated area” of the landfill? Hmm, what would be the safety requirements imposed on any private recycling operation in general but specifically one operating on public property? Wonder if there are any? Would be nice to see the “agreement” between CIG and the private company – or at least sections dealing with operational and logistical matters! Perhaps another buddy or brotherhood arrangement? Things that make you go “Hmmmm!
Bet there will be no report made for public access and all will be swept under that very large rug!
“
2.23 Evil thinkers are evildoers.
Vote FTDD party 2021!
A common question with smoke damages is what to do when there is smoke damage (soot) to your home from a fire at a house next door, (The Dump) such as a fire at your neighbor’s house. In this case start by contacting your insurance company and they should help guide you through this situation.
Remember: you pay for insurance specifically to cover situations like this. Document all of the items in your home that have even small amounts of smoke, soot, or ash damage.
Your walls may be stained black, for example. Floors and carpeting may be permanently ruined with soot. Even your ceilings could turn an ugly shade of black. Upholstery, drapes, clothing, and family heirlooms can all suffer damage.
PAY FOR PROFESSIONAL CLEANING (good luck with that in Cayman)
After documenting any smoke damages from a fire and speaking with your insurance agency, you should pay for professional cleaners or remediation experts to enter your home. Most insurance policies will cover professional cleaning costs (check to make sure).
It’s unsafe for you to clean your home after a fire. Soot and ash can have lifelong effects on your health. Professional cleaners and remediation teams have specialized equipment and personal protection devices to safeguard them against smoke damage in your home.
LASTLY, don’t bring your kids back to International school until after it was inspected by independent certified and licensed professionals. Remember, the entire HVAC system could be contaminated with soot and fire byproducts.
And then where would you like us to put all the garbage you generate?
What is Soot? The black residue that sticks around after a fire.
The soot won’t just disappear after the fire is put out. Individual soot particles are nearly microscopic. Soot particles can turn up in areas far away from the original source of the fire and travel from room to room through your ventilation system. Soot particles can contain acids, chemicals, metals, dust and other hazardous materials. These toxic particles then stick to surrounding surfaces, like walls and ceilings, leaving you and your home exposed to the harmful effects. If it goes untreated or improperly cleaned, tiny particles of soot can be inhaled deep into the lungs. These toxic particles can cause breathing issues, including aggravated asthma, bronchitis and more severe respiratory illnesses that can restrict your ability to carry out normal activities.
So if your building, house, condo, etc were in the smoke path, it needs to be cleaned up. While you can attempt to remove soot from your walls and ceilings on your own (remember it could be microscopic), you should always follow strict safety precautions and make sure you thoroughly clean the areas with proper procedures and great attention to detail. To ensure your safety and avoid permanent damage to your home and belongings, we recommend leaving soot cleanup to the professionals.
Secondly, your a/c ducts must be replaced. Cleaning won’t accomplish much.
What do you do? File insurance claim as as soon as possible. Along with that you can bring a class action against CIG and force them to pay for clean-up and HVAC systems replacement.
Don’t delay. Just because you can’t see the microscopic soot, it doesn’t mean it is there. 5 years later you could be wondering why do you have cancer.
Spoken like a true American litigant.
Sooty & Sweep.
No update as of this morning?
Reminder: Alden has been premier for 7 years and still hasn’t fixed the dump!
Time to march and demand he resigns!!!
Sedition is not the answer.
Tar and feathers?
Joey’s legacy will burn much longer.
Honorable leaders would never have let this mess occur, and honorable leaders would not let it proliferate.
I noticed that the air is very smoky around John Gray HS and UCCI at 7:30 this morning.
The smoke was thick as far away from the dump as Tripple C School on Friday night. I wonder if government have any idea how toxic breathing that smoke is? If we aren’t going to fix the dump can we at least issue breathing apparatus to everyone within 10 miles of the dump. I don’t want to die from cancer.
Bit late for that. You live in the cancer capital of the world.
saw a lad on a motorbike with a shirt covering his mouth. At first I thought it was a hooligan, then understood why my throat was hurting. great idea.. That wasn’t normal bush smoke..
Please tell us who manage and control the area of the dump that is on fire!!
Please tell us who has mismanaged the dump for the last 30 years
LOL!
1989:
“Mr. Miller spoke of “the threats of pollution from leach heads” and “the threat of a methane bomb going off on the outskirts of George Town at any time.
“If they think this is not a problem, go up to the dump and walk around,” he said. “Look at the leach head that is threatening the North Sound.”
Mr. Miller said the government had been consulting with representatives of the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization about the issue “on a regular basis for some time.”
the rest is here:
https://www.caymancompass.com/2014/08/08/George-Town-Landfill–25-years-of-broken-promises/
Please tell us what Mr Miller has done to help.
He consulted PAHO in 1989
What did Ezzard, in his role as Minister of Health, or any other role for that matter, do to help mitigate this risk? Sweet F.A.
Another fire, another disaster waiting to happen! Another health hazard! It is time to demand Gov deal with the landfill!
‘Vehicle recycling area’? Looking at the photos it just seems to be a tip.
Our $1,000 environmental fee on imported cars at work…
I live at Lakeside. I am a born Caymanian.
How would you feel if I put this in your backyard?
CIG has failed the Island of the Cayman Islands.
I thank the people on the ground dealing with this.
We just bought a helicopter but no addition rescue tools?
I been saying for years, Cayman needs a proper plan for chemical fires.
With the amount of fuel we store between oil, gasoline, and liquid propane.
We have limited resources to deal with theses chemical fires.
You can’t crush cars with explosive fuels inside and expect them not to catch fire eventually.
Hoomans….
I am surprised that you and your neighbors have not brought a class action against CIG yet! Actually, it is mind blowing that you are so passive. There got to be smart cookies among Lakeside residents. There’re so many things you can bring such as: right to health and wellbeing, total devaluation of your properties, willfull disregard, criminal negligence and much more.
You are unwitting guinea pigs and seem content with such label.
Which came first? The dump or the condos? Government will just argue they were built there full in knowledge there is a dump on the doorstep. The fact they continue to ignore it is another issue. But you can’t build next to an existing facility then blame that facility for being there.
They were built there on the back of broken promises to certain locals.
And Dart is building mr e houses there. Good luck buyers.
BRoken promises? Personally I would have waited until I see the promise fulfil. However someone had it in the back of their minds to move ithe dump to Bodden Town until they were stopped in their tracks. Just imagine if they were allowed to do that, then the entire island would have been inundated with the soot and smoke!! A real solution needs to be made to fix this hazard and definitely not moving it from one location to another. Each one can now do their little bit by recycling!!
10:47
It’s mind-boggling to think how many different parties and entities had to shirk their duties en route to putting you and other condo owners in the tenuous spot of owning a home built near a local dump site.
What could complicate matters is if the Dump site was never an official Grand Cayman landfill. Most legal dump sites must still meet remediation standards for homebuyers to qualify for loans.
The Dump was no doubt apparent to the real estate company or other sellers, who were so desperate to sell that they deceived you. The builders surely knew about it when it was first constructed, because they probably had to haul loads of trash out of the site. As to whether they’d admit it or not, that’s another story.
Persons ranging from individuals to class-action groups can sue builders, developers, soil consultants, grading contractors and engineers over such things, and it’s not unusual for accused groups to pass the buck to the other parties. Many buyers can sue sellers, too.
So “lawyer up,” which would be expensive unless you can hire a firm on a contingency basis.
Good luck.
Cost money to bring a lawsuit against the government.
Foreigners always say Caymanians are passive and unaware.
So unaware people keep flocking to the island to get a piece of Cayman.
Just because you don’t live next to the dump doesn’t mean it doesn’t effect you.
Who in Cayman has perfect health never gets sick.
Too the asshole who said I put the dump in my back yard.
Yeah ok I live as a low waste eco human. No I didn’t put the dump in my back yard the millions of foreigners vising and living in Cayman the last decade.
Yeah that’s right because in less than 5 years we produce triple the amount of waste and recyclables.
Hire a firm on contingency basis. Better yet a class action suit. You have to start somewhere. You have been ignored for way too long. Your life and lives of your children matter. But you have to at least start looking at your options. Your government is in love with tourist and gives no shit about people living near the Dump. They want more tourists who would generate more garbage which will endup in your backyard, not theirs.
The “asshole” had a perfectly fair point. You live at Lakeside and said someone put the dump in your backyard. But you bought at Lakeside knowing the dump was there – no one put it in your backyard. Don’t call the guy an asshole for pointing out the obvious problem with your argument. better off sticking with the point that the dump shouldn’t have been allowed to get to this state, rather than try and associate it with your choice of neighbourhood as if its a personal attack on you.
The dump was there before Lakeside. You put the dump in your own backyard, friendo.
Even if they were notified in writing that the dump would continue to grow and were conspicuously warned about potential health hazards of living by the Dump, even then they stand a good chance to win. Right to healthy environment and well-being is in cayman constitution.
They could also go after real estate company(s) for the latter knew or must have known that the dump is not a proper landfill and there were no immediate plans to have a proper landfill.
Yes but Dumpside will skyrocket in value if anything is ever done to resolve the dump issue.
These also were some of the most affordable apartments on island when they were built (wonder why). You could have bought one of the 3beds for around $200k in the beginning, now on CIREBA a 1 bed is listing at over $230k.
1:12 The recycling regulations in pretty much every First World country (I come from the UK) require that ELVs (end of life vehicles) are cleared of all hazardous materials before they’re processed. This includes oil, fuel, hydraulic fluid, batteries, tyres and even lead balance weights. That work is also required to take place on a sealed (as in concrete) surface. Does that happen here?
As for your place at Lakeside? Taking aside the proximity to the dump, I attended a fire there in 2007 during the construction. It was kicked off by welding igniting styrofoam insulation. My advice – move.
Excellent comment that emphasizes that nobody nowhere on this island is doing what they are supposed to do. If there are regulations exist, nobody complies, nobody monitors, nobody enforces, and probably nobody knows about it.
1:12
The governmental agencies and personnel, including Ministers, knows, or have a duty to know, that more than 1,000 people are being exposed to Dump’s chemicals every day, but they did and continue doing absolutely nothing about it. Now, these families will be left to deal with the profound consequences of these officials’ inaction and negligence the rest of their lives.
File lawsuit not just to seek the maximum possible damages, but forcing someone take responsibility
Could cause pestilence
Vote them ALL out in 2021!
And vote in who? The current lot on both political sides are absolutely useless. Suggest the time has come for the establishment of a Green Party as so many of the main issues we have in the Cayman Islands are related to the environment.
Paul Walker needs to attack this fire in a fast and furious fashion.
Cayman Dump Solution = p’ing in the wind.
Vote No
A stroke of genius from our political planners. After lengthy discussions by the Cabinet over breakfast in London, it has been decided to remove the dump by burning it, and utilizing the smoke to disperse our mosquito population.
Do you means to kill all residents, to get room for more visitors?
Fix the dump!
Wonderful advice from the authorities. Windows shut / A/c blah, blah, blah. Really?
Great advice, thank you so much. Now- dump removal or brand new port docking facilities? Guess where the money is.
Hey Dwayne, the dumps
on fire again…Dwayne Seymour need I say more……
I am glad that after 11 years in Grand Cayman I sold my condo near airport and moved back to the US. I figured that runway expansion would make already bad situation much worse. I got tired of living under the landing planes path, for noise and air pollution were slowly destroying my family’s health. My kids are about to start school and one have to be Nazi to send them to International school.
Arrivederci Cayman. It was good while it lasted.
Hawaii now only 5 hours away by plane.
From Wuhan?
You truly act as if we needed you. Thanks for your time but you don’t seem like the type of person that intended to stay for the long haul anyway.
Besides the US isn’t a better place to live. Of course it depends where you go. Erin Brockovich comes to mind as an example of a terrible situation. The US has its own issues as does every single country in the world. People pick what works for them.
Somebody tell Premier to stop at Home Depot on his way back to purchase 100K N95 face masks, then distribute it for free. Hopefully hotels would provide it for visitors.
https://bestreviews.com/best-n95-masks
The public should now sue the government. We are now literally choking on their incompetence and ineptitude.
Came through the airport today. The tourist relationship staff were telling the tourists not to worry, the island wasn’t on fire, it was only the dump! Well meant but the look on tourists faces a sight to behold.
Yep. Welcome to Cayman – every tourist heading up to SMB got a lungful of that on the way from the airport.
This has to be the last straw before a sustainable Solid Waste plan is presented and executed. Environmental and clear and present human hazard.
Mt Trashmore needs to be Trashed. “Mr. Premier Close Down the Dump!”.
nah, we got a dock to build.
Close it down? For what? For the same thing to happen else where. Gov’t just need to implement a better recycling program or incentive. First needs to start from homes and offices etc. Then educating some of the dump workers.”sorting”.