Clearing Cox Heath | Metals to be shipped away in days
File photo of metallic waste and the now-extinguished fire at the Cox Heath dump.
Now that the fire at the Cox Heath dump is out, authorities said they are working to clear the site and return it to pre-hurricane condition.
As the clearing initiative intensifies, the Zebalon McLean-led fire department has returned full control of the site to the Department of Waste Management.
Head of Waste Management, Greg Massicotte said his department is now sorting materials at the dump, and heavy equipment remains at the site to begin crushing metallic waste for shipment off island.
“These works will continue until all the metal is removed from the site,” Massicotte said.
“We expect the first barge to be here within the next 10 to 15 days to remove the metals. The material compacted by the baler along with the derelict vehicles will be taken on that barge,” he added.
The Cox Heath location became the primary site to dispose of debris on Tortola following the catastrophic disasters last September.
Since then, several thousand cubic yards of waste have been dumped at the location.
That waste caught fire on May 9 and burned for more than three weeks.
Authorities officially reported the fire extinguished on Tuesday, June 5. And on that date, Governor Augustus Jaspert deactivated the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), which was on Level Two alert.
According to the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), a level-two activation from the NEOC relates to ‘a single localized hazard impacting a large area or a number of people’.
A number of West End residents were forced to evacuate their homes as a result of the volumes of smoke that affected them.
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Well sah! The fruits of the plan are ready for picking! The real and true reason this fire was started and left to burn for so long is clear and evident. But what recourse is there for those adversely affected by this environmental disaster? I’ve also noticed that the natural pond there is being slowly filled in with waste as well. What he he’ll is going on down here?!?! That is a natural water dentenion pond and habitat for birds etc. it also serves to retain surface runoff during heavy rainfalls from entering the sea and killing the coral reef there!! Shame what is being allowed to carry on in the BVI and the authorities are part and parcel of the conspiracy. Enablers of poor accountability and transparency are the current Government!
Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t a contract signed with some company to deal with the materials already?
Ok, when will the people of the BVI be informed by our shadey government about the lawsuit from the USVI about all the air pollutants in the air as a result of this fire?!! I know transparency is not the government`s MO but the people need to know what we’re up against please.Hopefully Hon.Pickering would do better than MW regarding transparency.
Handy that those non-metals have burnt off…
Where there is filth there is lucre
Seems like I forced it out from this conspirators in my last post..
I told you so! this fire was willfully done to access metal for shipping.
I believe so too, but at what cost, generations for dead??? Is that metal gold???
That land will never be the same again ! All the toxins etc that will have soaked into the soil which will eventually get into the Sea… Disgusting !