The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE entire New Providence landfill, which has been emitting smoke ever since a massive fire occurred at the site about three weeks ago, has been completely soaked and covered with fill, officials said.

Renew Bahamas, the company responsible for managing and operating the landfill, said workers are still covering some remaining “minor” pockets of smoke, but it was satisfied that the “entire 17 acres have now largely been capped with a first layer of fill material”.

The company said it would continue to monitor the entire area over the next few days to “ensure that any reappearance of pockets of smoke are rapidly dealt with”.

The announcement comes three weeks after a massive fire raged at the landfill on January 17. Subsequent smoke delivered high levels of discomfort for nearby residents over the following weeks.

The nearby Meridan School was forced to close three times as a result.

In a press statement released on Friday, Renew Bahamas said it had covered the “final area” of the landfill with fill. The company also reiterated its previous statements that “plumes of dark smoke” seen coming from the area are not the result of the recent fires at the site.

The statement said: “The company will continue to cover some remaining minor pockets of smoke, but is satisfied that the entire 17 acres have now largely been capped with a first layer of fill material. The company will further continue to monitor the entire area over the coming days and weeks to ensure that any reappearance of pockets of smoke is rapidly dealt with. Renew Bahamas also wishes to advise the public that plumes of dark smoke seen coming from the area today is not emanating from this site.”

When asked about this yesterday, Fire Chief Walter Evans said he was not sure where the smoke could be coming from and asked this newspaper to contact him today.

Last week, The Tribune received a number of calls from angry residents in western New Providence, suggesting that the smoke covering their area was coming from the dumpsite.

Last Monday, a Delaporte resident complained that the smoke was so thick in the area that it filled his home because he forgot to close his kitchen windows.

He said his fire alarm went off. He blamed this on the smoke.

However, Mr Knowles said last week: “The company also wishes to advise that the smoke observed in the Gladstone Road and JFK areas (recently), is not related to the recent fires at Harrold Road landfill site. Renew is satisfied that the smoke was not emanating from anywhere on the site, but from fires on other properties.”

Earlier this month, Renew Bahamas identified the culprit behind a third fire at the landfill since the initial fire on January 17.

Company officials said security identified the suspect as he fled the area after starting the fire at midday on Saturday, January 30. The fire was reportedly started in the southwestern section of the temporary tipping floor.

The fire was completely extinguished by the company’s fire fighting team around 2pm the following Sunday, officials said.

Fires at the New Providence landfill have been a persistent problem for years.

Last March, a fire burned at the dump for several weeks, causing school closures and discomfort for nearby residents.