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UPDATED: Firefighters battle major new blaze at landfill

Firefighters tackle the blaze at the city landfill early on Wednesday. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff

Firefighters tackle the blaze at the city landfill early on Wednesday. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff

Firefighters battle major new blaze at landfill

By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

FIREFIGHTERS yesterday battled a large blaze at the New Providence Landfill, nearly three weeks after tackling a massive fire at the city dump that burned for nearly a month.

Officer in Charge of Fire Services, Chief Superintendent Walter Evans said the current fire is “not connected” in any way to the previous blaze and at this time officials do not know what caused the fire. However Environment Minister Kenred Dorsett told reporters at the site that he suspected “sabotage” in relation to the fire. He said he “instructed” the team of firefighters to have the blaze extinguished “before nomination day” today and certainly before Baha Mar’s opening on Friday.

The blaze started shortly after 3am Wednesday and Chief Supt Evans said officers expect to battle the fire for at least another day but he said the wind is a “huge” factor.

Chief Supt Evans said that, fortunately, the smoke over the surrounding areas is “minimal” but a team is out in Tall Pines, Jubilee Gardens, Victoria Gardens and Fire trail Road doing assessments.

He also said firefighters had to pull resources from the dump around 7am after two separate fires broke out off Independence Highway and Golden Gates #1.

“We got a call before 3am that a fire had broken out at the dump. When we got there we met a large area on fire at the landfill,” Chief Supt Evans told The Tribune. “This area is not connected to the last fire we had last month, the most recent fire. This is a new area and we have a full team out there to assess the fire. The smoke is not as bad as the first one but there is plenty smoke being emitted from the fire. Wind is playing a factor in this, but the smoke is not sitting in any one area.”

Chief Supt Evans said firefighters were also battling fires at two structures but they have been extinguished.

“While we were at the landfill we got another call around 7am that there was fire in Golden Gates #1,” he said.

“When we arrived we met a concrete structure completely engulfed in flames. The entire house was destroyed. While fighting that fire, we got another call of another fire, this time off Independence Highway. It came in as a building fire but it was a bush fire. Both fires are extinguished and we had no reports of any injuries.”

This latest fire marks the second massive fire at the New Providence landfill this year, after a fire broke out on March 5.

Free National Movement Chairman Sidney Collie yesterday said he hopes the situation is resolved “as soon as possible” given that each new landfill fire disrupts our quality of life. He said a vote for the FNM in the upcoming election is a vote to ensure that someone is held accountable for the fires.

“Not only do these fires damage property and bring negative effects to our tourism product, but they pose serious health risks to Bahamian families, which they endure far too frequently,” Mr Collie said in a statement.

“Throughout this recurring catastrophe, this unduly inept PLP government tells us not to worry. As if their empty rhetoric somehow contains the physical properties to solve this ongoing calamity, but Bahamians know different. We all know that the request for proposals to waste management firms, which they repeatedly talk about, won’t fix today’s landfill blaze. We know their big landfill plans outline modern engineering and waste management practices, but these ‘plans’ have done nothing to prevent today’s fire.

“On May 10, use your right and vote for an FNM government that will put the people before selfish endeavours. Vote for the FNM because we will hold our government actors accountable, and we will not allow incompetence to ruin our beloved country and our endearing families,” Mr Collie added.

On Wednesday, the government launched the request for proposals for the remediation and operation of the landfill.

Mr Dorsett said the preliminary cost of remediation at the landfill is about $20 million to $30 million.

The city dump has been plagued with recurring fires for years, with the March blaze being considered as the worst to hit the site. Renew Bahamas was engaged by the government in 2014 to manage the landfill and help address the matter.

However, Renew Bahamas pulled out of that deal last year claiming low profitability. It had previously been seeking to renegotiate its management contract and associated financial terms with the Christie administration, having revealed to Tribune Business that it had been incurring continuous, heavy losses.

Comments

John 7 years, 8 months ago

Well they have to get rid of the garbage somehow. No waste to energy no recycling so they 'accidentally ' set it on fire. Most economical way to dispose of it. Except for the health concerns for everyone on this island.

sheeprunner12 7 years, 8 months ago

Dorsette needs to call in those 75K per day American firefighting planes ....... smdh

alfalfa 7 years, 8 months ago

Can't wait to hear how the government political geniuses will paint over this one. It better be good. Election soon come and they don't wan the smoke to fog up their supporters eyes. So better to cover them with some B/S, tee shirts, and free drinks so they forget about it.

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 8 months ago

Someone said there was plenty talk at the Fish Fry the other day about it being in Minnis's interest to keep the public dump fires blazing and spewing toxic fumes until after election day. Apparently security at the dump is grossly inadequate making it all too easy for weekly fresh fish home delivery people, like Toggie and Bobo, to frequent the dump site for who knows what purpose.

Cobalt 7 years, 8 months ago

Your PLP colors are showing again.

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 8 months ago

And perhaps you're just too gullible in believing that this latest major public dump fire just before the "fake" Baha Mar opening is mere happenstance!

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 8 months ago

Re-post: I'm not even running for elected office, yet you Cobalt prefer coming at me rather than taking on Minnis for his many known character flaws and other shortcomings, foremost of which is his inability to control his temper; not to mention his appallingly dismal track record as a politician. You are obviously much too blinded by partisan party politics to vote on the basis of the best candidate running in your constituency no matter what their party affiliation may be. That makes you my friend, one of the many voters responsible for where our country is today. If it helps you any, I will grant that history shows you (and your kind) are clearly winning with the evidence being the continued decline and destruction of our nation. There you have it - YOU ARE WINNING!

Tarzan 7 years, 8 months ago

Gee were those Toggie and Bobo "look alikes" at your PLP rally? I guess that is just more evidence of more racist, foreign millions supporting disinformation, pouring into the perfectly governed Bahamas. The new slogan for the PLP ought to be "Don't Believe Your Lying Eyes."

concernedcitizen 7 years, 8 months ago

I don,t know what Doc will do , you seem to have some inside evidence of his integrity . If you have real truthful evidence of Doc teefin etc print it .if its true you can not be sued .I know exactly what the PLP will do from the shake down tactics they tried at my families business etc ..There are only two parties that can win ..I will vote for the guy that has not robbed us blind yet . if doc does I will vote against him in 5 years .Bro there are videos of Nygard w/ Togo and Boogie ,,in a real country they would be in jail but here they got government contracts and Nygard is sticking embryo cells in himself w smiling PLPS all around Video don,t lie

DillyTree 7 years, 8 months ago

Again!?!

I actually hope the dump is still blazing and the smoke plumes are directly in the path of the big Baha Mar opening party on Friday. Maybe the Chinese will complain about it -- Perry seems to listen to them more than the Bahamian people.

alfalfa 7 years, 8 months ago

I thought Toggie and Bobo were last seen wearing PLP tee shirts. Are the PLP's lighting the dump to disrupt the Bahamar fake opening. Strange. What say you, "Well Mudda"?

sheeprunner12 7 years, 8 months ago

BOL............ That is a good one!!!!!!!!!

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 8 months ago

Forget following the money.....follow the fresh red snappers and grouper in the case of Toggie and Bobo!

concernedcitizen 7 years, 8 months ago

Look at the condos overlooking central park NY that PGC ,Bethel AMG got from the Chinese ..like I said I know the plp are robbing us blind ,I will give Doc a chance if he robs us blind I will vote against him in five years ,,so lets see Nygard ,toggie and Bobo were all acting in the video to set Doc up w some free fish WTF ,,Video don,t lie

sheeprunner12 7 years, 8 months ago

Mudda ............. I suggest that you, Bobo and Toogie go and rent a SD and decorate it with the PLP colours and join the Christie motorcade .......... een long now!!!!

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 8 months ago

You really need to stop being so pitifully ignorant - there's much too much at stake! THINK, THINK, THINK!!!

concernedcitizen 7 years, 8 months ago

There are two political parties , one is robbing us blind ,try the other .A vote for an independent/DNA is a waste ,,we are really voting for a leader by who we vote for

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 8 months ago

Only idiots vote along party lines.....a good citizen properly discharging their constitutional right to vote will always do their own homework and vote for the best candidate running in their constituency no matter what that candidate's party affiliation may or may not be. You just don't get it, and I suspect you never will.

concernedcitizen 7 years, 8 months ago

much too much at state ,,I,m not sure we are not headed to failed state status , Nigeria , Haiti ,Jamaica to a certain extent and anything else just slows it down ,,a country can not thrive w 1 in 4 on the government payroll ,piss poor productivity ,an education system that is little more than extremely expensive baby sitting service for anti social parents anti social kids , corruption , epidemic "teefin" remember our politicians did not come from mars they came from us and represented our values ,mores ,customs of basically talking religious nonsense and living like irresponsible children

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 8 months ago

And we have the IMF, World Bank, IDB and other U.S./OECD controlled international agencies to thank for engineering the corruption of our political system and the saddling of our country with unsustainable debt. The so-called "CIA Hitmen" who work in tandem with these international agencies and corruptible politicians to exploit the natural resources of under-developed and developing countries have done their job very well in the case of The Bahamas.

concernedcitizen 7 years, 8 months ago

Why do you call people names ? WE borrowed 7 billion dollars all by ourselves ,,no IMF ,IDB ,ETC came to our parliament and put guns to our head to borrow .Stop the nonsense we are a free democratic society ,,are you saying we are so f,,,king dumb that whitey is tricking us that easily ,,how come the Caymans ,Bermuda ,Grenada are not in this situation ..Do you always look for the US and conspiracy theories ,,ohh whitey is tricking the black man so bad the black man can not even self govern ..WTF WE ARE INDEPRNDENT ,,WE CALL THE SHOTS ,,AFTER 40 ODD YEARS OF SELF RULE IT REAL IS RIDICULOUS TO KEEP BLAMING WHITEY ,ESPECIALLY WHEN FOR THE LAST T 70 YEAR W TOURISM THE AMERICANS HAVE COME AND THROWN THERE MONEY AT US ..YOUR STATEMENTS EITHER SAY BLACK MEN ARE TOO CORRUPT TO GOVERN OR EASILY TRICKED BY FOREIGN "EVIL IN YOUR MIND " INTEREST ..WHICH IS IT .WE F,,, KING BORROWED THE MONEY B/C WE HAVE 1 IN 4 PEOPLE ON THE GOVERMENT PAYROLL ..THE IMF HAD NO GUNS AGAINTS ARE LEADERS HEADS ..IF YOU STUDY HISTORY MOST COLONIAL POWERS IN THE LAST FIFTY YEARS WANTED TO BE RID OF FAR FLUNG TERRITORIES NOT AQUIRE THEM ,

concernedcitizen 7 years, 8 months ago

Actually with self rule @muddas and @john continual rants about whitey keeps tricking the black man and keeping him down b/c tedious and boring .Slavery and oppression are horrible ,but to claim under majority rule that we are either too corrupt and bribed/bought by the IMF/WORLD BANK or so dumb we are that easily tricked does not speak well of our intelligence or ability to self govern ,,

Reality_Check 7 years, 8 months ago

Aahhhhhh! Now you play the race card. Now I know I'm darker than you are and thankfully gifted with much more sense! Well my lighter friend, I will leave it to you to name one country on the continent of Africa that has not been destabilized and f'd up by CIA instigated civil wars or by economic and social welfare programs initiated by the international agencies that are designed to bankrupt lesser developed countries. And all of this evil is done for the sole purpose of feeding the very greedy profiteering appetite of corporate interests domiciled mainly in the U.S. and OECD countries.

concernedcitizen 7 years, 8 months ago

Actually I think it is the corrupt leaders in Africa that keep selling their people out to the oil companies and mining operations , just like baby Doc enriched himself w the 400 million he got in aide to help feed the people and stave off communism ..Ins,t one of the Africa leaders sister just found to be one of only a few female billionaire while the people are starving ,,bro there is wicked people in every race ,,but we are talking about our religion spouting , well oiled criminal organization here in the Bahamas ,,and no the IMF did not make Fitz try to shake down Izzie ,or F Watson and F Ramsey take bribes ,, or Mother Pratt travel w a gaggle of young girls on our f ,,ing dime ,,we doing this all on our own that blame whitey shit ended in 1973 ,,this our ship to steer

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 8 months ago

The mere fact that the corrupt people you mention managed to even get elected in the first place should tell you something. Our political system has been deliberately destabilized by very powerful foreign forces who stand to gain the most from the destabilization of our nation. Our corrupt greedy politicians have simply been unwitting pawns in a global chess game that few can wrap their minds around.

concernedcitizen 7 years, 8 months ago

This bores me ,,We all by our self elected them ,,, The US could of taking us a long time ago w out firing a shot ,,Bro really this is inane ,,Its us ..we vote for the people that represent our mores and values ,,blaming it on others is typical of us not taking responsibility ,,I have lived all over the globe and that is one of our greatest weakness we take no responsibility in our sex habits ,our teefin . our leaders ,,then we use mystical religious bullshit to explain it away ..

concernedcitizen 7 years, 8 months ago

Yes global powers have a role ,,China wants our vote in the UN so we should get the most for it for our people and our treasury ,,not in PGC,B Bethel pockets ,,but that is the "mores" of our people we are easily bought I know in the old days I was a pirate and it was a lot easier to buy a policemen ,,MP here than Miami ,,shit they were breaking my door down to sell themselves ,,yes I am now changed

sheeprunner12 7 years, 8 months ago

Hubert Minnis and his Cabinet will begin to clean up the PLP stinking shit after May 10th ........ The Budget needs to go back to the calendar year (January to December) ..... so an interim Budget needs to be enacted and the FNM cannot be tied to Perrynomics anymore ....... A Commission of Inquiry MUST be instituted by June to investigate BOB, BPL, UR2.0, Bahamasair, BTC2% and OPM ........ and find the hidden billions lock up Perry & his goons

THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO HEAR FROM HUBERT MINNIS ON THE PODIUM BEFORE THE MAY 10 2017 GENERAL ELECTION

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