Dump inferno rages for 3rd day
(CNS) Updated Monday 7:45am: The government announced Monday morning that John Gray High, George Town Primary, CIFEC and Cayman International schools will all be closed to students due to the excessive smoke in the area from the massive fire at the George Town dump. As the blaze raged across the landfill the civil service also said it will operate a relaxed attendance policy for parents whose children attend schools that are closed and the elections office is also closed.
Early Monday morning government officials said weather conditions were adding to the challenge for the more than two dozen fire fighters as well as environmental health staff that were battling to contain the blaze which has, it is understood spread from the garbage heap to the area where tyres are stored fuelling the toxic black fumes.
Given the dangers posed to respiratory health some residential areas around the dump were evacuated overnight Sunday and Monday morning and shelters at the Red Cross and at John Gray were opened.
Residents remaining in their homes have been advised to close doors and windows and monitor air-conditioning units for smoke intake. The Esterley Tibbetts Highway (ETH) between Camana Bay and the Butterfield roundabout remains closed and that will be reassessed at lunchtime Monday.
While officials had claimed that they were “seeing some success from their application of a specialised fire retardant at the scene” on Sunday night the fire is still raging.
Crews were said to be tackling the blaze from two strategic fronts based on risk: the Esterley Tibbetts Highway side and the Camana Bay side. All resources from the West Bay Fire Station and the Central Fire Station have been diverted to the landfill, while the Frank Sound Fire Station is providing cover to the rest of Grand Cayman and as such has moved two pumps to the cruise terminal landing in Spotts to be closer to George Town and West Bay.
But with winds in excess of 28mph conditions remain challenging and the crew’s priority is to contain the fire, trying to make sure it does not spread to the ETH and Camana Bay areas. RCIPS officers also remain on site where the situation is described as dynamic and challenging.
The landfill will be closed to the public until further notice.
Anyone experiencing any problems with irritation or difficulty breathing should contact their healthcare professional or seek help from the Accident and Emergency Department at the Health Services Authority. The direct phone number for people experiencing respiratory issues due to smoke is 244-2945.
CNS reached has reached out to the ministry to ask when the remediation, which was due to begin at the start of this year, will actually get underway and when government expects to formalise a contract with DECCO some two and a half years after selecting them as the preferred bidder. But officials have still not answered our questions, stating that the ministry is too busy dealing with coronavirus to address our enquiry.
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Category: Local News
On the plus side, this will free up more room for additional rubbish. Subtraction by addition my friends.
Village Montessori is also closed today.
No update yet?
National catastrophe, yet, no live updates.
This is shameful. Administration after Administration have failed to deal with this dangerous mountain of waste. Is it any wonder we have a high number of cancers in Cayman with these toxic fumes wafting across the island year-after-year. Alden, do your job and deal with this — NOW.
In other dump news. Apparently the January 24 fire was caused by staff failing to empty a vehicle’s gas tank before it was crushed. The recent CIFS statement on the incident skirts round those facts but I was told over the weekend that’s what happened. You couldn’t make it up if you tried could you?
Having slept only a few hours last night due to living in the vicinity of the current dump fire I would just like to voice my opinion, strike that!, my utter disgust at this and previous governments inaction over dealing with Mount Trashmore! As I type this I am dealing with a scratchy throat and burning itchy eyes, and yet I am I presently avoiding most of the Damage that is coming from the fire due to the present wind direction! Right now, I am one of the lucky ones but a slight wind change and I dread to think what I will have to deal with!! Anyone who wants to protest over this debacle can sign me up as well as many of my neighbors, I doubt very much that this time citizens are just going to vent online at various outlets and then slowly return to their normal routine!! It will be interesting to hear what the various ministers have to say about this ongoing catastrophe in the next few days, and like most of us we do not want to hear the usual political spin that tends to be wheeled out in situations like this! I may be cynical but I have a feeling that right now our elected members are involved in meetings about how to placate the community, rather than meeting to say enough is enough and that they will end this years long inaction of dealing with this dreadful health issue that their constituents have had to deal with for once and for all!! And now Mother Nature is blessing us with some rainfall as I finish off venting, but heed this you overpaid incompetents, you are on borrowed time!!! Tick tock!
Dump Fire 1
Earthquake
Coronavirus
Stock Market Implosion
Dump Fire 2
Is it to soon to say that 2020 really sucks?
Something to refocus your attention from coronavirus, the fire and market crash ( stress kills, remember):
It’s A Big Year For The Solar System As Mars, Saturn, Jupiter And Venus Take Turns To Look Their Best https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2020/01/03/2020-is-a-big-year-of-planets-heres-when-to-see-mars-saturn-jupiter-and-venus-at-their-best/#5669264aab2a
we might each experience this powerful planetary configuration in different ways depending on where it falls in our individual birth charts.
It certainly not a favorable year for Donald Trump based on his birth chart. https://www.completehoroscope.org/horoscopes/donaldtrump-president-impeachment-2020.htm
Happy Monday beautiful people! You can relax now, it is all in the planets.
God is trying to tell Cayman something – stop developing and take better care of the environment!
I think he’s telling us “Don’t be such gullible idiots at the next election”
According to one government member all this is cause because of the unethical and unbiblical behavior of two consenting adults and we the citizens of the Cayman Islands straying away from our upstanding Christian heritage and beliefs . I would say we have entered the first stages of Sodom and Gomora. sigh !!!! rolling eyes!!!!. CNS we really need to get emojis options on here 🙂
Add to your list Trump re-elected and depression engulfs America.
Firstly, I want to give a shout out to our firefighters and be safe!
The dump has been on every manifesto in the elections for the past 30+ years. This current government need to resolve this issue ASAP, its time to let the BT District to except that the recycling plant needs to be built out there, I for one living in this district under that the new plant isn’t a dump and we need it built now!
Mr premier, drop your port project and work on the dump.
Oh, and let’s not forget about Mac, what is going to regarding the investigation or has our short term memory loss happening again?
if they are adequately protected, wearing hazmat suites and properly trained and supervised, there is an assurance they will be safe.
Got to agree with you about the firefighters. The sad reality is in a few years time we are very likely to face the same problems NYC has had post-9/11, with emergency workers (and probably members of the public) developing serious illnesses related to what they inhaled during the rescue efforts.
There’s a lot of people talking about Dart promising to fix it all in BT. But in all fairness, at the time I believe the politicians/CIG did frame it that way. However my recollection is that (just as with the port) it turned out to be lies and political spin, and all Dart had promised was the land and another lined dump same as we have in town. The rest was up to CIG (the public) to pay for and put in place. As it’s already taken them 3 decades to make a lot of noise and spend a lot of money doing NOTHING, do you really think we would have got beyond the lined dump Dart promised? If there was a dump fire in BT the entire island would be covered in smoke.
Also, had they fixed it in town as they were going to over a decade ago, we wouldn’t be in this position today. Most trash is generated in town. Trash that is exported leaves from town. Makes no logistical sense to move the dump to the other side of the island. Think about it.
There are no lined dumps on any of the three islands, all of them mismanaged and leaching out without any containment or filtration. All of this soot and water will flow through the trash pile into north sound, nuking the mangrove fish/conch/lobster bursaries, and bleaching our reef – our main tourist attraction.
And let this same mess happen in BT, never!
I don’t have any confidence, trust or respect for this government. Our brave leaders can roast in hell along with mount trashmoore for all I care anymore.
For 20 years doing something about THE DUMP has been discussed. Now the ticking time bomb is about to go off and our leadership does nothing except being preoccupied with a new port and gay marriage.
What is wrong with the Caymanian people that they allow this nonsense to continue?
Are we really that stupid?
31 years
Jan 24 2020 – GT Dump Recycling Ctr. on fire
Feb 27 2020 – Fire extinguished, say officials
Mar 3 2020 – Small deep-seated fire contained but still burning
Mar 7 2020 – Dump fire blazing out of control in multiple areas
One report from Mar 3 stated that the situation was being monitored, by who crickets?
24/7 surveillance by remote IR cameras anyone, drones anyone? This tech is not expensive in the big scheme of things and some companies employ this technology on island already. Why the reactive rather than proactive approach to this in the height of tourist season to boot? Considering the weather forecast and wind direction I wouldn’t be surprised if some downtown GT businesses are closed tomorrow and maybe much longer.
With COVID-19 on our doorstep and all cruise traffic about to dry up just maybe CIG will forced to spend that Cruise Port money wisely on a DUMP SOLUTION!
I understand the gym at John Gray is open for anyone who needs to leave their homes because of smoke.
Well it’s about time ,,,someone is really calling our firefighters heroes? I remember not long ago there was so much bashing firemen, that all they do is sit and play dominoes all day,,,,oh boy ,my people. God bless you all our firemen,police,Doctors,nurses custom and border control officers and the rest ,,,oh and don’t forget our teachers that puts up with the bad manners and disrespect some our children give them . May God help us and these beautiful isles he has founded upon the seas.
So far they have not been able to do anything but watch it spread and burn. Again.
The fire department should be pouring petrol on the dump and keep it burning out of control for a a month. That’ll be one way to get rid of Mt. Trashmore!
chernobyl is closed since 1986.
Grand Cayman would be a wasteland for longer.
International environmental ecocide claim would be brought against Cayman- all those toxic substances that don’t fall on cayman grounds would fall someplace else, poisoning it. Just imagine how much marine wildlife would be poisoned.
Here’s the distraction we’ve been waiting for to change the news cycle,, and it won’t be the only one. Yes Sir !!!
#sheissupported #sayno
No matter the diversions we’re not going away, we’re not going to forget, we will #staywoke and drive out the corruption from the core of our nation.
Dart is not responsible for this monstrosity the government is and they are doing sh*t all. I don’t care about politics all these people are clowns for not doing anything to stop this in the future.
For 20 years the CIG has done shXt all on the DUMP issue. Why?
31 years
DECCO have been in charge for years. Press release a couple days ago that remediation is to begin this month (so they can start to push OLEA lots).
You are suffering from DDS – Dart Derangement Syndrome. Seek help immediately.
Firefighters, please document your hours worked on site during this fire. Also carefully note in detail any breathing issues, headaches, dizziness, etc.
This fire is likely to burn for weeks and you are at high risk of long term health consequences because of the toxic-mystery smoke. Ten or 20 years from now when your lawyer is suing the government for millions of dollars these notes will help.
Remember, this landfill has been a very, very well-documented problem for decades. It’s pretty clear that the government now putting your long term health at risk has been grossly negligent.
Now that I think about it, the public, everyone and anyone who suffers because of this may want to look into a class action lawsuit.
I wish you well, firefighters. You are heroes.
Government : 🤡🤡🤡
Another funny comment. Get your answers by reading obituaries.
The government needs to provide answers as to what the short and long term implications are of having they dump in its present state, in respect
of pollution, fumes, seepage and certainly whether there are any health hazards short and long term with these repeated fires. Is there asbestos? Are the materials being burnt carcinogenic? Are any other hazardous materials present? We need answers now!
Your leaders need to start leading. Ours here in the USA do also.
Unfortunately, they didn’t really sign on to lead. They signed on to benefit themselves and their friends.
Times are looking pretty bad right now.
Step up, or step down.
How many fire trucks in Cayman? Who do you call in for support? The fire looks very bad and the wind conditions are not helping. Sending prayers for no injuries / property damage and hope it gets under control quickly.- long time tourist to GC
Where residents affected by fire supposed to go?
Canada
Canada accepts Caymanian driftwood as long as they speak English.
The Red Cross shelter. Thank you CNS.
Smart people sold their condos, took their pensions and left this God forsaken island.
Don’t envy those who is stuck unable to sell with pension money evaporating by the hour.
It is like the Dumbest place on earth. It will remain dumb for many more years.
We might be dumb, but you’re loser. Go back to wherever you came from if you hate Cayman so much!
It is hard to like stupidity? I hate the fact that nothing has been done on the DUMP issue for 20 years. The real losers are those gutless wonders who have refused to deal with this issue when they had the power to do something. If you are one of those who has supported those losers then you are a loser too.
31 years
Why hasn’t Dart snapped his fingers and made this landfill issue go away a long time ago? He has to breathe that toxic smoke too. Or do rich people import their own oxygen these days? Seriously, why hasn’t he ordered his politicians to deal with the landfill yet?
#lame
You’re funny
Ask OfReg about the WTE talks stuck in the mud for ages now!
Ask the Minister in charge in 2006 about his visit to the USA to assess the feasibility of WTE and his findings. Summed up it boiled down to a mixture of NIH (not invented here) and ‘there’s no way to make a profit out of this’ so the plan was dropped.
one word “idiots”
Dah wha ya get!
The poor wretched children that have to attend CIS school. No human should have to endure that. It must be closed until the dump is sealed.
Poor people who live on Marbel Drive are affected even more. Place should be demolished and not rebuilt until the dump is fixed.
I wonder if joey stayed home tonight?
I agree but what was Dart thinking building a school next to the dump?? And what are the parents thinking sending their kids to the school?? It closes so much because of the landfill that I would’ve pulled my kids out long time!
Dart was thinking that the government couldn’t be so stupid as to turn down his offer to resolve the festering, two-decade old problem before the 2009 election. He was wrong. #NoDumpInBoddenTown – remember? Stupid is as stupid does and our government is as stupid as it gets.
And you’d want a dump in your backyard if this is the way it’s run. But I’m forgetting you live in Dartvillle.
He had a plan. He always has a plan. This time, god laughed.
When the school was built 20 years ago the dump was suppose to have been removed in the near future.
I can tell you one thing for sure, those children aren’t poor!
Dump has always been there. The school was not
While CIS is close in proximity to the dump, the wind almost always blows from the east, the north or some combo of those directions. Marbel drive and the SMB area east of the dump are way more hazardous than Camana Bay or CIS.
The school is south of the Dump. Did you go to school?
Ummm. The school is north of the dump.The general wind direction does not blow the dump stench towards the school. It goes the other way, in the direction of ALT or Marbel drive. The smoke from the fire was billowing over Kirks this morning, not Camana Bay.
At this point you deserve it. You, the people, did nothing for years, to prevent this from happening. You deserve your government. You deserve the dismal state of your environment. You allowed this to happen. Reap what you sow.
Congratulations to the Government and MLAs for doing Nothing on this gorilla in the corner of a problem ! Osborne Bodden who scuppered plans 8 years ago to have a waste disposal plant in BT? So what alternative plans have you come up with Osborne ! ( nothing) and yes this is the problem you have helped create. You are all completely inept
Do not forget the in-action Man and now leader of the losers who promised back in 2006 to find a solution to the problem…as usual nothing
Followed by the jokers in McKeeva’s last UDP government, followed by Ozzie with the 2009 government, until he was kicked out and Alden took over and did absolutely nothing. Then there was a shiny object to chase with the cruise port and this government has completely forgotten about the dump. Every last one of them should be voted out just for that.
Tara found her voice today though to congratulate the fire officers. Wonder where it was two weeks ago?
Hollywood. Or Shopping. Definitely not passing legislation before the blacklisting deadline or speaking up about whether she though insane drunken women-beaters are suitable representatives of the Island, or doing anything useful other than draining the government coffers.
enough is enough. time for a class action lawsuit against cig for their gross incompetence.
direct rule now!
You are a twit
No Dump in Bodden Town
Why not?
Look at the direction the smoke is blowing.
…But if it’s moved and contained then it won’t catch on fire, fooleh. Plus, Cayman will need to introducing an actual recycling facility and not just simply opening another dump location to repeat the same mistakes
If the fire gets totally out of control the coronavirus problems will be minuscule in comparison.
It is non existent at this point. The Covid19
Watch Fox much?
Naw. It will be about 50/50
Unless we’re all in shelters and it spreads. Just saying…
The ticking time bomb is ticking. Will this be the time it goes off?
Come home to a real fire … buy a property in Camana Bay!
Nice! Did you copyright that?
Alde-Nero fiddles while Cayman burns…
We have a worsening national crisis and the only official government voice in all of this is… Simon Boxall?????
The entire dump is currently on fire by the looks of it. We’ll be lucky the fire doesnt spread past the dump. This is a National disaster at this point. Actions need to happen Monday morning to solve this skeleton in the closet. Dart and CIG need to make the #1 priority. It was a problem 20 years ago when I first moved here. Now it is a crisis…
Hahhahha, the action? Tomorrow ? Do you have a magic wand?
The best action one can do is leave the island. If one has a place to go.
Unnah couldn’t hear so now you have to feel.
Sorry coronavirus! Looks like this dump will kill us off first!
One can only imagine how many toxic chemicals are going airborne in these blazes
Really a very sad and infuriating situation
Exactly 743 toxic chemicals, according to the United Nations toxic substance list.
And impacting the air and sea quality.
the dump, the dump, the dump is on fire, we don’t need no water, let the….
We should be in an uproar!!!! How many more fires and eventual disaster do we have to endure until the landfill is taken seriously!! Agree with the first comment. Forget everything else including your beloved port and deal with the landfill! This is unbelievable. Time for the Health Minister and medical industry, everyone to put pressure on govt. How embarrassing for all the tourist to witness. Everything about this is so wrong!
Oh, please, 20 years too late. No one can do anything at this point. Too huge of a problem.
CNS for years brought this problem into your focus, you chose look the other way. Have no one to blame. Really feel bad for children, they’re innocent victims
It’s never too late! Make a start now and the children and future generation will have something to follow and continue on until it’s solved. The older generation now may not be around to see this change, but they can definitely help make the start instead ah sitting on they ass. Bout ‘oh please’, kmt. Bet say you part of the problem now. Gwey.
You sound like Mac
Yes they can. They can spent tens of millions on consultants and make lots of promises.
Mr Dart needs to take over the dump, what about the waste fee for vehicles ,and the cars is left all over the island, on road sides , where is money going, politicians over paid, and getting too much big pensions, and still working for government, double dipping.
What WOULD we do without Mr Dart?
Here’s an idea for the de facto Director of Environmental Health. Lease a fleet of airport fire foam cannons, you’re gonna need them at this rate.
Emergency funding ought be easy win for drastic measures.
Mount Trashmore is a National disgrace! A wealthy country like Cayman cannot dispose of its own waste?
News flash. No wealthy country does.
NEVER NEVER confuse wealth with wisdom.
Build the port!
Laughter
Interesting this happened the same day the Compass ran a story headed ‘Dart: Landfill remediation begins this month.’ Maybe this is the first stage? Based on the Compass video (give you a tip – a good place to film or view this from is the balcony at the back of TI/Margaritaville) I’d say that’s completely out of control now. CIFS won’t be able to damp it down, they’ll have to let it burn itself out. I’d also say, with experience in the field, that’s it’s possibly (can’t be 100% sure) being fed by the release of gases like methane from decomp deeper in the dump.
Just what we need – A QAnon type of conspiracy theory suggesting this fire is part of the remediation effort.
10:14 I was being sarcastic – maybe that was a bit too subtle for you?
There has been no public notification about a new site for either the dump or the so called waste to energy plant. How can remediation of the dump begin without this?
What kind of public notification were you waiting for? Someone to ring your doorbell and tell you about the new site? I myself read it in the newspaper. It’s on another part of the existing landfill site.They are going to remediate the existing pile of garbage and start another one, but lined properly – on the existing site. And by using recycling and various other methods of garbage sorting/disposal, the amount of material going into the new site will be cut by something like 75% – 85%.
Fake news
People living in 3 mile radius of the proposed WtE must be notified and agree to it.
This site will do tourism wonders! You won’t have to refuse cruise ships, they will give this island a miss when they see that smoke!!
#wheresjoey?
Joey Who?
Right out there with his people. Arranging evacuations
Making stupid videos you mean.
Why don’t you tell us how many actually evacuated? Dog City specifically.
I think we might see a state of emergency with this one. This fire is going to burn a long time. It is the worst environmental disaster this country has ever seen. In combination with the U.S. State Department’s advisory for Americans not to travel on cruise ships, we are looking at a grim situation for the tourist season. And untold health issues for residents.
This has become a national emergency…Alden get your head out of your a$$ now and forget about the cruise dock and all the other crap like Smith Barcadere that you are planning on wasting money on and fix the damn dump…
Enough is Enough!!!
Aldens head in Mac’s a$$, and Mac’s in Alden’s. That way they have plausible deniability. Neither of them have seen anything!
😄….you win the Internet today
You’re talking as this is a quick fix. In fact, other than cover this ticking bomb with 4 layers, there’s little Dart can do.
Taking the history of screwing up everything CIG touches, unless Dart and his army of experts, who would be future expats, take over maintenance and monitoring of the system to reduce a built up of combustible gases, you will be facing disaster of unpredictable magnitude. Your Government failed to send people overseas for training, experience and expertise gaining. It should have been done 10 years ago.
As for WtE plant, CIG better not get caught off guard when residents occupy streets protesting construction. Trust me, it will happen. There’s absolutely no regulatory basis for WtE plant. There us no qualified labor and expertise to run it. The cost of control mechanisms will bankrupt the country, with 90% chances there would be no pollution controls. Life in Chernobyl would look less dangerous.
But to be frank, cayman residents inactions all these years they live near the Dump is impossible to understand. Even after the last fire nothing happened. No protests. No criminal charges against car recycling facility for violation of rules and regulations. Nada. Because there is no rules and regulations.
I beg to differ. There is expertise on island to build and run WtE. Dart brought me in from the UK 2.5 years ago for it, but CIG failed to sign the contract, and now I work fixing boats!
But I like the smell of putrid garbage smoke in the mornings. It smell like… victory.
These are not just putrid garbage fumes, this is a miasma of TOXIC waste full of carcinogens; otherwise, why would those who live in Lakeside and the surrounding area be evacuated from their homes. Ever wondered why we have such a high rate of cancer in Cayman?
Wonder why this keeps happening???!!! Hmmmm.
Why are we still stockpiling tyres? I was sure I paid a fee for tyre disposal when I registered my car. Where does that money go?
Good question!!! Thousands of $$$$ were paid I wonder the same
If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, then I will hear from Heaven and heal their land. God is showing us who really run things. This is just a rehearsal! Do not continue to blaspheme the Holy God!
If people cared more about teaching science in ALL schools here instead of priding themselves about quoting scripture we might not have this problem. This orthodox Christian mentality is stifling Cayman’s own people, especially the young, and degrading what little environment we have. We’re not in the 16th Century anymore and we shouldn’t be spewing fire and brimstone at a critical time like this either.
We all paid for someone to pick up the old tires and drive the alllllllllll the way to the dump!