Massive fire at Cox Heath dump
Scene from the May 9 fire at Cox Heath. (Photo provided)
A massive fire has flared up at the Cox Heath dump site on Tortola.
The blaze started late Wednesday evening (May 9) and firefighters have since responded at the scene.
Local authorities have ordered the dumped site closed.
A subsequent media release from government said ‘all waste should be channelled to the incinerator’ until further notice.
It is not clear what started the blaze but authorities said: “The scene [of the fire] is being secured and a thorough investigation will be carried out to conclude a cause.”
Following another blaze at the Pockwood Pond dump back in January, Head of the Department of Waste Management, Greg Massicotte had said spontaneous fires are known to happen at the site occasionally.
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Let it burn. It will be smiley and unhealthy for a week and then will be gone.
Well this article was written in a hurry….and late
If this happened when there is a drought and winds there could be a bush fire. That could take out all the houses to the west given the prevailing winds. If we were really unlucky and the wind was from the East the power station could be destroyed too. We can’t risk this at the moment. Get a sensible independent Chief Executive in at the RDA and get moving with the repairs and clean up.
Passed it tonight and it is really huge. But very probably it is going to be just the garbage dump that burns.