35pct of Pulau Burung landfill fire put out - Fire Dept
The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has put out 35 percent of the 4.05ha of fire at the Pulau Burung landfill along Jalan Byram in Nibong Tebal, Penang.
Penang JBPM assistant director (Operations) Mohd Hafiz Hafizan Timaradin said the firefighting operations showed good progress today after it carried out water-bombing using helicopters.
“Based on today’s monitoring, after 16 rounds of...
The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has put out 35 percent of the 4.05ha of fire at the Pulau Burung landfill along Jalan Byram in Nibong Tebal, Penang.
Penang JBPM assistant director (Operations) Mohd Hafiz Hafizan Timaradin said the firefighting operations showed good progress today after it carried out water-bombing using helicopters.
“Based on today’s monitoring, after 16 rounds of water-bombing and several other methods, we found that 35 percent of the burning area has been successfully extinguished, and no traces of fire can be seen, while the rest are still burning.
“Thus far, we found no fire spread to the new area at the 16.2ha landfill and water bombing methods will continue tomorrow so that the fire can be extinguished soon,” he said.
He was speaking at a press conference on the firefighting operations in Nibong Tebal today.
He said the fire department, with other agencies including the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) and Penang Island City Council (MBPP), had taken steps and devised several other methods, including firebreaks, to speed up the firefighting operations.
Meanwhile, Seberang Perai Selatan district police chief Supt Lee Chong Chern, who was also at the press conference, said the landfill was declared a level 1 disaster area based on National Security Council (NSC) directive No 20, and that he was the commander of the operation.
“Following the declaration, the public is no longer allowed to enter the area, and with smoke coming out of the fire at the landfill into the surrounding area, we have started conducting disaster operations since last Monday.
Also at the same press conference, Seberang Perai Selatan district officer Marlia Mohd Belia said 45 people from 10 families are currently housed in two temporary evacuation centres.
The rest have temporarily moved to the homes of their relatives, but there are residents who refuse to evacuate, Marlia said.
Thus, the district office is conducting regular monitoring to ensure their safety, assisted by police and Rela (People’s Volunteer Corps) personnel, she added.
State Environment Department director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab, who was also present, said the department monitored the air quality round-the-clock daily within a radius of seven kilometres to ensure it was safe.
There was a decrease in readings of air pollution compared with yesterday, Sharifah said.
- Bernama
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