Linden sawmill dump fire Smoke suppression efforts underway following week-long inferno

…new aerial firefighting equipment deployed

Just over one week after a fire had erupted at a sawmill waste dump in Amelia’s Ward Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice), the Guyana Fire Service has contained the inferno, and is now focusing attention on reducing the amount of smoke emanating from the zone.

The fire, which had erupted on Wednesday last, had significantly tested the firefighting capabilities of the Guyana Fire Service, given the topography of the area. However, after several days of firefighting and collaborative efforts, the inferno was contained on Monday.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips, who holds ministerial responsibility for disaster response, along with several senior Government officials, visited the area to assess the situation on Tuesday; and during a radio interview, the prime minister updated Linden residents on the situation.
He explained that although the inferno has been contained, a significant amount of smoke has been emanating from the area; and this, Phillips noted, is a top priority and is currently being addressed to ensure no risk is posed to the health of persons living within the area.
“I can tell you upfront that, from a Government standpoint, we will facilitate all the equipment, all the resources that are required by the Fire Service, the CDC, and the private operators, who I must say are very instrumental. I must commend them for the work that they would have done, mobilizing resources and doing all the work around the clock to contain the fire into one area,” the Prime Minister has said.
He added, “What we’re going to do now is continue our efforts to suppress the smoke, because the smoke is affecting the people who live in proximity to the location of the fire. So, from a Government standpoint, we treat this as a disaster. It’s a man-made disaster, not a natural disaster, but nevertheless, it is a disaster.”
Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kemraj Parsram, also provided an update on the situation. He highlighted that a team from the EPA is currently on the ground monitoring the air quality.
“The issue is the smoke. So, we have staff right now on the ground actually monitoring the concentration of carbon monoxide, or smoke, as we call it locally, to see if it’s going to impact residents. Some residents, because of their sensitivity, they’re expressing that they have been affected, eyes burning. Those that are asthmatic will have some effects. Of course, the CDC is working on relocating some of those vulnerable population, but the key thing is that we measure the concentration and it is not exceeding the World Health Standards.”
This publication understands that waste from nearby sawmills has been accumulating at the dumpsite for some 30 years. As such, Parsram told listeners that stakeholders will soon work together to identify an alternative area to dump industrial waste.
“We need to come together, and one of the key things we need to identify (is) alternative locations for dumping of sawmill waste in the region, as well as garbage as well. So, we’ll be working with the Town Council, the region, and the relevant authorities to ensure that it’s done, and ensure it doesn’t happen again,” Parsram said.
Aerial firefighting
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS), for the first time ever, utilized one of its Bambi Buckets – which is a large, lightweight and collapsible water-carrying device used in aerial firefighting. It is suspended from a helicopter, and can hold a significant amount of water (hundreds, or even thousands, of gallons).
The design of the buckets allows the helicopter to hover over a water source —such as a lake, river, pond, or tank — and lower the bucket into the water to refill it. This allows the helicopter crew to operate the bucket in remote locations without the need to return to a permanent operating base, reducing the time between successive drops.
It was attached to a military helicopter to assist with the ongoing firefighting efforts in Linden, Region 10.