Smoke from garbage dump affecting residents

It has been a week since a fire at the garbage dump on the Western Highway has been polluting the area and causing a stench. For about three hundred meters along the road at mile three on the Western Highway, smoke has been clouding the highway and inconveniencing families that live along the way. Everyday there is a promise to put out the fire but we now recess for the Easter break, and the fire that is trapped under the layers of garbage, continues to pollute the area. Christina Mohammedali is one of the residents severely affected. She spoke with News Five today and told us that her six month old grandson is getting sick.

Christina Mohammedali, Affected by Smoke
“Like Sunday, we see it get worse and then I call the fire engine like two/three times. Dehn just seh yes dehn wah come and dehn noh come. And Monday morning when I wake up the smoke deh all round di place and I call back and they tell me yes dehn wah come and dehn still noh come, so I start to call other people weh I think dehn could help and dehn seh yes. Like four o’clock Monday, I see wah fire engine gawn in by Gold Star, well I seh dehn wah do something now, dehn did do something, but still di thing no out. Last night pan di news, dehn she dat ih under control, but dis no under control. Di ting is I have a young baby eena di house and di baby only di cough up, cough up, cough up. And what di smoke do to we, like ih burn we eye. Ih got you di cough and ting.”

Duane Moody
“I notice it also has a stench, a really bad stench”

Christina Mohammedali
“Yes! Dis morning when I wake up mein di place smell bad. You know.”

Duane Moody
“And I notice you have to close your windows as well”

Christina Mohammedali
“Everywhere have to close up. One year ih mih get so bad dat we have to move from wi house. Di ting di affect we—dis ting wah sicken we.”

According to Mohammedali, if the conditions persist, the family will have to relocate until the problem is solved.