The Barbados Fire Service and management of the Sustainable Barbados Recycling Centre report that the fire at the garbage sorting facility is contained and they continue to try to control the resulting smoke and its effects on residents down-wind.
Yesterday, the fire erupted at the privately-operated facility at Vaucluse, St. Thomas that sorts garbage before it’s deposited at the government landfill. It was declared a national threat given the potential for smoke to affect people living in adjoining districts.
Commander of the Fire Service’s northern division, Errol Gaskin, told Starcom Network News that crews worked late into the night trying to extinguish the blaze.
Gaskin says a large amount of manpower and equipment was deployed at the site including assistance from the private sector.
Meantime, the acting General Manager of the SBRC, Carol Scanterbury, says the key focus now is on reducing the smoke and the facility remains closed today.
It’s believed that the fire started due to a natural build-up of heat in the garbage piles.
