Fire to be fully extinguished over next few days
Photo captured on Thursday, May 10.
The fire at the Cox Heath Dump has been contained and will be fully snuffed out over the next few days.
“Fire officials have advised that we expect the core flames to be extinguished within three to five days,” said Deputy Governor David Archer, Jr in a media release late Thursday afternoon.
He said BVI authorities have consulted with the Fire Department in the neighbouring US Virgin Islands about outing the flames.
In the meantime, Governor Augustus Jaspert has activated the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) in response to the fire incident which began on Wednesday.
The NEOC is said to be under ‘Level Two’ activation and will remain active until authorities are ‘satisfied that the risks have been significantly reduced’.
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’.
“Secondary hazards or spread of impact zone unlikely. The impact will be confined to the affected area. Some disruption of normal routine/life is likely. Primary agency and several others, involved at the scene operating under Incident Command System,” the DDM said.
Health concerns
Local authorities are now visiting with residents living in the vicinity of the dump to monitor and discuss any health concerns relating to the fire.
Deputy Governor Archer said authorities are also discussing ‘future plans’ about the removal of metals and remaining debris from the dump, as well as the subsequent closure of the site.
He said the Ministry of Health and Social Development will lead that initiative.
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Real talk now! Why the minister for health didn’t move that garbage from there? It’s 7 months since the hurricane and not one movement towards dealing with that pile. This is terrible leadership.
5 days? – lets say 7 from when it started….in that period of time we could have all sat round toasting marsh mallows on it and watch it burn itself out.
…..NDP to be extinguished on 5 days too…..
This isn’t acceptable. People in West End have smoke filled homes. They have already suffered enough in the last 6 months. No one is making a credible attempt to extinguish the fire. It is being left to burn out. Don’t pretend that you are in some way in control of this situation that you created. In the meantime people are having to move homes if they are lucky enough to have options. Time for some transparency on why all those wealthy foreigners and organizations who offered to bring in machines for free to deal with this waste were sent packing. The press should take responsibility for a decent investigative piece of journalism and interview those who had real solutions and were told to go away. People are sad and tired. But they are starting to get angry too. And If someone dies from smoke related issues make no mistake, there are powerful people who will pursue those who have restricted the recovery until they end up with nothing or in jail. To those politicians and civil servants who are not doing what they are meant to be doing, or who are treating people badly or who are discriminating against people, or who are splitting up families in the name of immigration laws because one person in the family is changing jobs, or who are covering up murders, or are applying the rule of law selectively, be aware that there are people who you cannot control who know who you are and who are watching you very carefully. And they are smarter than you and they do get things done and they can’t be bought or bullied.
AMEN, Watcher Woman… I wonder if on their mission to see the UK Government, if they will ask for assistance in stopping and cleaning up the fire pit and taking all the residents of West End out of danger. This HEALTH HAZARD disaster has taken 3rd row seat to the Registry fiasco and the Willy T. One would expect a statement from the Ministry of Health and Social Development. All I have seen in this regard is take care and sorry for the inconvenience. They should at least be giving out masks to West End.
What’s done is done. Arson or spontaneous combustion it doesn’t matter.
There will still be huge amounts of debris from Irma,
The BVI needs to get off its butt and begin to sort our trash and recycle LIKE THE REST OF THE WORLD.
Come on people let’s “get it together” and stop killing our little piece of paradise!