TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A fire broke out at a landfill near Taitung City in the early hours of Sunday morning (Feb. 26).
Fueled by strong winds, the fire burned out of control with thick black smoke and a foul smell drifting into nearby neighborhoods. The fire department dispatched fire vehicles and fire fighters to battle the blaze which continued to smolder through Sunday morning, leading to complaints by residents, per CNA.
A number of explosions accompanied the landfill fire as the contents of the dump ignited. Firefighters fought the blaze with hoses, but the accumulation of loose debris prevented close contact. An excavator was brought in to assist with the fire fighting operation.
A Taitung City sanitation worker said guards at the landfill noticed a fire just after midnight, and reported the incident to authorities. The location of the fire was an area where garbage had yet to be covered with soil.
Fire fighters battle foul smells and smoldering garbage in Taitung. (CNA photo)
The fire continued to burn as the sun rose, with garbage still smoldering and smoke drifting to surrounding villages. Taitung Mayor Chen Mingfeng (陳銘風) arrived to survey the scene and encourage fire fighters to extinguish the blaze as soon as possible.
The landfill in Taitung City’s Jiannong Village (建農里) has been in use for 29 years and has already exceeded its service life. After the opening of an incinerator in Taitung City earlier this year, the landfill has largely stopped accepting trash except for a small amount of industrial waste and some rubbish brought by nearby residents.
