Evacuation order still in place as dump fire grows

Defence Force officers in Jubilee Gardens on Sunday as smoke from the landfill forced residents to evacuate. Photo: Shawn Hanna/The Tribune

As of Monday, March 6, 2017

2.30pm UDPATE: THE Catholic Board of Education (CBE) has advised that as a result of the ongoing fire at the New Providence Landfill, Aquinas College will remain closed until further notice. Aquinas College will not open on Tuesday. CBE is in contact with the relevant authorities and will continue to monitor the situation carefully, a statement from the board said. “The Catholic Board of Education’s main objective is to ensure that our students, administrators and teachers return to safe and healthy school environments that are conducive to teaching and learning,” CBE said. The group urged parents to listen to local radio stations and refer to the school’s website for updates.

FIRE Chief Assistant Superintendent Walter Evans said on Monday morning that while the colour of the smoke has changed, indicating less toxic fumes in the air, the fire at the New Providence Landfill has grown overnight and firefighters are still working to contain the blaze.

The evacuation order for Jubilee Gardens is still in effect for Monday as most of the area is still covered in smoke.

According to Leslie Miller, the MP for Tall Pines, the fire raging at the city landfill has come dangerously close to the gas company on Gladstone Road and trucks have been deployed there to prevent an explosion.

The fire also crept into the yard at Aquinas College on Sunday night but was extinguished before any damage could be done to the buildings. The College is closed on Monday.

Overnight reports are that no houses were burned or destroyed. Royal Bahamas Defence Force marines were on security detail all night in affected areas, ensuring homes were not vandalised or broken into.

Depending on the winds easing, residents will be able to return home later on Monday morning from shelters at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium and Mario's Bowling.

The Bahamas Humane Society took in five animals from Jubilee Gardens on Sunday night and reports that it is set up for an influx on Monday. The BHS is asking for food, bowls, towels, pet crates or cages (clearly labelled so they can be returned).

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 9 months ago

The gas masks being worn by the defense force officers in the above photo are compliments of Red China. They came with loads of excruciatingly painful tear gas that sleepy B. J. Nottage and his dumbo sidekick Bell are looking forward to using on the Bahamian people who get too rowdy for Crooked Christie's liking.

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 9 months ago

Re-post: Experts repeatedly recommended to the Pindling, Ingraham and Christie administrations that a cargo terminal facility be developed at Clifton Bay in the area where BEC's main plant is located and the sea is sufficiently deep. Such a facility would have achieved the dual purpose of (1) moving all shipping and freight congestion away from the downtown area, and (2) facilitated relocating the main public dump to the Clifton Bay area where the more toxic waste could be barged to a more suitable site on Andros, 25 miles away. But the half-dozen or so influential white Bahamian families (like the Symonettes) who have always owned and controlled the docks downtown would hear none of it, fearing that they would lose a grip on their highly profitable shipping and freight businesses. Sadly, Pindling, Ingraham and Christie all cowered to the wishes of the 'ole white boys, as if their personal financial interests mean more than the lives of many thousands of black Bahamians whose lives are being or have been prematurely cut short by the hazardous highy toxic fumes of smoke. Crooked Christie knows no shame. He may as well have been flipping his middle finger to all those individuals who have for many years now been greatly suffering from the life threatening (and life taking) unending public dump fires.

UserOne 7 years, 9 months ago

It is not only black Bahamians affected by this issue. This is not a racial issue; it is a Bahamian issue. When we make things a racial issue then we feel we have no control over them. We need to think Bahamian and think coming together to demand more of our governments.

concernedcitizen 7 years, 9 months ago

List item

read my answer on ' Jubilee gardens evacuated to this nonsense about black /white and the port at Chilfton

Regardless 7 years, 9 months ago

...." so we figured out how to put the masks on, what now?"

Reality_Check 7 years, 9 months ago

Repost - Our winds blow from the southest to the northwest for most of the year which means the dump ideally should be relocated to somewhere in the Clifton Bay area. This is the reason why Runway 14 at Nassau International Airport is our nation's busiest runway. Runway 14 has a compass heading of 140 degrees - almost due southeast. For safety reasons aeroplanes take off and land into the wind to the maximum extent possible. Only on very occasional days would residents of Lyford Cay, Old Fort or Albany be inconvenienced by smoke from dump fires if the public dump is relocated to the Clifton Bay area.

realfreethinker 7 years, 9 months ago

If you relocate the dump,there should not be any fires,if it is done properly. When those people removed the dump in Freeport they did it the right way,now they don't have to worry about fires anymore, and there dump is right next to the airport

John 7 years, 9 months ago

When one saw the huge amount of dry and very flammable hurricane debris that was being carted to the dump thoughts of "what if a fire breaks out now." Then next thing you heard was the "managers " of the dump quit and high tailed without even informing anyone and that the dump was back under control of the government. And yes it was always in the back of your head that fires were possible. But no one imagine that, the dump filled to capacity catches fire on one of the driest and windiest periods in the year. It is clear that the dump cannot be managed at its present location. Too accessible. It affects too much of the population and it has to be removed. A costal area is preferred but with consideration for water protection and conservation in mind.

concernedcitizen 7 years, 9 months ago

it is clear that our government can,t manage the dump or keep the lights on for 250,000 people even w/ a 7 to 8 billion GDP a year .And to one of your previous post the CIA is not putting anything in marijuana to make black youth uncontrollable killers . I literally fell off the chair reading that

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 9 months ago

Re-post: Shameless Crooked Christie is all set to say the following when he next stands in the house of assemby: "Mr. Speaker, I was there. Yes, Mr. Speaker I was right there - at the very edge of the recent dump fire. I got to see and experience first hand the heat of the flames and the choking smoke. I looked around but could not see the leaders of the FNM and DNA - perhaps because of the thick smoke. Surely they were there too Mr. Speaker, somewhere there, because I would have thought that they too would have recognized the importance of being there, like I was, to witness first hand the hardship these dump fires cause so many of our people. Mr. Speaker, all of the resources available to my government were brought to bear by me, yes Mr. Speaker, by me personally, to control and put out the raging fire that day as quickly as possible. And Mr. Speaker, I want the people to know that I fully intend to now take personal charge, yes, me personally, of finding an appropriate solution to this vitally important matter at the earliest possible time. And so Mr. Speaker, the people can take comfort in knowing that their Prime Minister, yes, me personally, now has this most important in hand, yes my own hand Mr. Speaker, as a matter of the utmost priority. Thank you Mr. Speaker for letting me provide, today, this highest level of assurance to the people that their suffering caused by smoke from the dump fires will soon be a thing of the past."

ThisIsOurs 7 years, 9 months ago

Spot on

Reality_Check 7 years, 9 months ago

I can hear Christie rambling on and on with the very words you attribute to his mouth. Most of us now get thoroughly sick and disgusted whenever we hear him speak.

TalRussell 7 years, 9 months ago

Comrades! Scavenging at the dump might be your only livelihood put food on tables, once the tourist stop coming to an environmentally sick Nassau Town, seconds after they become too scared for their health's well-being.
Baha Ma's Big Boss man's, done previously before this fire, went live on talk radio to warn the PM, how he is much concerned about the dump's fires.
Still, the "politicians" are not embarrassed.

Honestman 7 years, 9 months ago

43 years of Independence and we still haven't figured out how to keep the lights on and dispose of our waste!

reverendrichlkemp 7 years, 9 months ago

It's time to call in help from USA. PERIOD !

ohdrap4 7 years, 9 months ago

you want trump?

We should call john Key instead, the recently retire pm of new zealand. he got our vat right.

Gotoutintime 7 years, 9 months ago

How about we ask Great Britain to take us back??

DillyTree 7 years, 9 months ago

Gotoutintime, no way Aunt Lizzie and the UK want us back -- look what we have become! Besides, what do we bring to the table?

Gotoutintime 7 years, 9 months ago

True dat!!

sp1nks 7 years, 9 months ago

hmmm

TalRussell 7 years, 9 months ago

Comrade "Return Bahamaland To The British" activists, you might have something there cause Montagu does believe it would be easier to live under Britain - than in a Free Town, China.

killemwitdakno 7 years, 9 months ago

You got the airspace back , it requires managing. Ask the private island owners and private air charters for leads. I'm sure they have contractors to protect their islands.

A water bomber or air tanker plane can scoop water from the canals or ocean. This would could be an option to service family islands without firetrucks as well, or even Helitack (helicopters) which may be less costly.

Some Companies That Contract Internationally

Global Supertanker http://fireaviation.com/category/contra…

Helicopter Express Under the agreement with CONAF, the helicopters will operate in-country for up to 100 days. If the contract is extended, Helicopter Express has the capability to extend the stay of two helicopters.

Neptune Aviation Services Inc The primary provider of large airtanker services to the United States Forest Service for more than 24 years. https://www.facebook.com/neptuneaviatio…">Contracts with Chile. http://www.neptuneaviation.com/mobile/t…

FSI Ideally suited to provide a professional, comprehensive heavy aircraft aerial firefighting solution for countries seeking an immediate response to increasingly devastating and fatal wildfire events. Provides FULL Service Staff – Program Manager, Fire Consultant, C-130 pilots, ground crews, maintenance, PCADS team and recovery services. FSI will also train and consult with Military or Government Agencies related to aerial firefighting, C-130 airlift programs and a wide array of aviation services. http://www.fsiwildfire.com/

This vintage version called MARS is $3M. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl… Might still have one for sale. https://www.fox6now.com/2016/07/26/for-… https://youtu.be/mrdLJ3GYVac