Garbage dump fire still burns

For days the Belize City garbage dump site on the Western Highway has been smoldering and the toxic smoke is affecting residents who live in the vicinity. The City Council with help from the Fire Department hoped it would have all been over by the end of the week, but there was another flare up and the small mountain of the city’s refuse continues to burn. City Councilor responsible for Garbage, Philip Willoughby, has been attending to the situation.

Philip Willoughby, Councillor responsible for Garbage
“Whilst the dumpsite is smoking there is no evident fire as to trace where the smoke is coming from so he has indicated to me it is burning off basically. Nonetheless, we were working out there throughout the weekend. Unfortunately, I have to apologize to residents of the area for the duress and stress that the smoke has caused them or any effects. On our side of the council, I know that one of our personnel came down with bronchial problems, breathing problems so to speak. So we are aware of the severity of the situation.”

Jose Sanchez
“What is the plan? Is it just to wait for it to burn off?”

Philip Willoughby
“No, well we have encountered some problem in finding the right excavator to go into the dumpsite and just dig the bottom and just cover it with the top where the smoke is coming from. But again, the protective measures, the equipment has to have some kind of security
feature for the operator itself.”

Willoughby says the Ministry of Works is providing the Council with an excavator that the Fire Department will be able to use to put out the blaze. According to the councilor, the fire should be put out by tomorrow and residents will be able to breathe without inhaling the hazardous smoke emanating from the fire at the dumpsite.