Fire crews get the better of dump fire

| 13/03/2020 | 10 Comments
Cayman News Servie
Chief Fire Officer Paul Walker at the dump

(CNS): After almost one week of battling an extensive and challenging fire at the George Town Landfill, Chief Fire Officer Paul Walker said that “incredible progress” has now been made on getting the better of the of the blaze, which has raged through a large part of the dump. He said he expected that by Monday the various fires and hot spots should all be extinguished. In the meantime, crews will continue to work on the deep-seated hot-spots within the garbage pile. Walker said that smoke is now at a minimum but residents and drivers are still advised to take precautions whenever any smoke re-emerges.

Department of Environment staff will be working throughout the day alongside fire officers to excavate and expose these deep seated areas where garbage is burning. They will then damp them down, put out the fires and then cover them. Walker said that during the night the crews will maintain a watch at the site before continuing with the excavation and dampening over the weekend, with a view to having all hot spots dealt with before Monday.


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Category: Local News

Comments (10)

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  1. BTC is King says:

    “Fire crews get the better of dump fire”…for now. The Cayman Island firefighters are probably the only ones to earn their pay, having to constantly battle these types of fires on a weekly to monthly basis. Can’t be very healthy for them, or anyone else, as a matter of fact. Has anyone tested the air in the Cayman Islands, and the chemical fallout from these fires? Pretty sure that’s a rhetorical question.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Remember the 2014 land fill fire….which was 10 times smaller….the local fire authority made it burn for a week due to being inexperienced and no planning….thanks to the very experienced fire chief….keep him on…(leak at the fuel farm)????

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  3. Anonymous says:

    Have they demolished Kirk Supermarket and Marbel Drive yet?

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  4. Anonymous says:

    I live about 200 yards from where the fire was and I thought honestly it was going to jump the road and burn to 7 mile beach. You did a heck of a job with those wind conditions. Congratulations on a job well done. Cheers and thanks for your public service!!

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  5. Anonymous says:

    The fire department did a great job it shows that they are well trained. Sadly this fire has pushed them to the limits of their staffing and equipment and any bigger of a fire may go out of control.

  6. Hell, G.T. says:

    Don’t count your chickens, it was claimed that good progress had been made after day 1.

  7. Anonymous says:

    You and your team of firefighters did a great job with the resources you have. You are not to blame for the mismanagement of a landfill which is why these fires occur the Cayman Islands government is solely responsibly for the continued lack of management, funding and training on how to manage safe landfills

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Until next time?

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  9. Anonymous says:

    Just make sure they’re properly equipped to minimize health hazard.

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