Illegal garbage burning endangers homes
The dry weather that invariably brings in Holy Week is also a time of increased danger from fire. As if the prospect of natural disaster was not bad enough, some city residents seem bent on giving Mother Nature a helping hand. Patrick Jones reports.
Patrick Jones, Reporting
This afternoon firemen were quick to respond to the call of a house fire on Antelope Street Extension. But when the trucks pulled up on the scene, instead of confronting a burning home, the firemen had to turn their hoses on a heap of garbage that was threatening to ignite the neighbourhood.
Ernest Dominguez, Station Supervisor, Bz. City Fire Dept.
“We responded and found there was only garbage that people use as land fill burning.”
Patrick Jones
“In terms of damage, what kind of damage did you uncover here?”
Ernest Dominguez
“Damages only to the stuff that people use as land fill, but to the houses, they were okay and free from fire damages.”
According to Dominguez, the burning garbage, which is a clear violation of city laws, appears to be the handiwork of some idle neighbourhood children with not enough adult supervision.
Ernest Dominguez
“Well we are not sure as yet, but according to some of the people around, some kids normally come around and light these stuff on fire.”
Patrick Jones
“Based on the location and the kinds of houses around here, how bad could this have been?”
Ernest Dominguez
“The type of houses around here are houses that can catch fire very easily. And with this weather that we are in, dry season, could cause people to loose their houses and property. So we always try to encourage people not to do any burning of garbage within city limits as that garbage fire could become something more worst.”
But now that that worst-case scenario was thankfully averted, Dominguez says his department will use today’s exercise as an important teaching tool.
Ernest Dominguez
“From here we will just try to find if it was kids that did it, try to find the kids them and talk to them around their parents, let them know that is wrong to do such things.”
Patrick Jones for News 5.
Firemen responded to a similar situation this afternoon on Mahogany Street Extension.
