Propane tanks, melting rubber, and toxic fumes are adding to the challenge faced by local firefighters as they battle a stubborn blaze at the landfill site off McIrvine Road.
“You just don’t know what’s in there,” said Fort Frances Fire Chief Steve Richardson. “At the start, when the fire was still burning, we had to worry about exploding aerosol cans.”
Two 20-pound propane cylinders, a butane tank, and several tires illegally thrown into the pile of household garbage are just a few of the items that have added to the excitement–and risk–as firefighters work to extinguish the blaze.
“Unfortunately, people still throw away things they’re not supposed to,” noted Chief Richardson.
The fire–first reported last Thursday at 7:45 a.m.–reportedly is under control. Crews now are working to completely extinguish it.
When it began last week, large flames were leaping out of the mound of trash. But now, only the odd flame leaps up as two backhoes and two bulldozers work to flatten the burning garbage while firefighters soak the area with water from a nearby pond.
“You have to give the town credit for that. It was excellent pre-planning on the town’s part a few years ago when they put that pond in,” said Chief Richardson.
Because the mound of garbage is burning as much as 30 feet deep in spots, the heavy equipment is being used to rip apart the burning hill. Firefighters are working to spread the burning garbage throughout a trench behind the hill and then dousing it with the water.
“It’s under control, it’s just that we have to dig the hill out,” said Chief Richardson, who expects the fire to be out by Friday.
“We push it around with bulldozers and we’re soaking it the whole way,” he added.
Firefighters then will have to monitor the landfill site for several days to make sure hot spots–buried beneath the trash–won’t continue to burn.
Meanwhile, firefighters appear to be in relatively good spirits as they battle cold weather as well as the fire’s smoke and fumes.
“Stinky would be the right word,” noted Capt. Joe Bobczynski.
The cause of the fire likely is due to spontaneous combustion from the rotting garbage, the fire department said.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
