THE National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) yesterday closed the Riverton landfill after a massive fire, believed to have been caused by the seeping of methane gas from rotting garbage, broke out at a section of the dump.

At least nine fire trucks were called in to smother the raging flames which began early Monday morning and were fanned by strong winds in the area.
Riverton City landfill workers brave stifling smoke in a section of the dump yesterday as they carry out their duties. (Photo: Lionel Rookwood) 


"During these hotter periods, methane gas coming from underneath the garbage will ignite in sections of the dump that are not covered with dirt and sand," explained manager of the Riverton landfill, Winston Wilson.

"We have also had some tremendous wind so that has added to the spread of the fire," he added.

Yesterday, worried Riverton City residents said fires at the landfill had become an all too regular incident. They, however, said they had little options to deal with the problem.

"What we must do? We can't do anything about it. Is long time this going on for and all we have to do is just watch it and do the necessary things that it don't affect we," said a female resident, cl**tching her three-month-old baby as a thick cloud of smoke from the dump hovered in the distance behind her.

"Is here we live. We just have to deal with it every time it catch fire," another female resident interjected, while pointing to a closed window on her house.

Yesterday, as the NSWMA response team and firefighters worked hard to control the blaze, some workers criticised them in hushed tones, saying their efforts were not enough.

"This fire cannot out with fire trucks alone. If you don't have tractors and trucks coming in with dirt to dump on the fire, then this thing could go on for weeks or even months and everybody knows that. Even the boss them that are here with you today know that," said one worker who claimed he had been working at the dump for years.

"We need the proper resources, we do not have any functional equipment working with on the dump to fight this fire and persons in authority just don't want to spend the money to deal with the matter," he added.