The Hindu       20.03.2013 

Plastic bags make fighting fire difficult

The challenge of fighting the flames in the more than
two-decade-old dump yard of Namakkal Municipality at Kosavampatti — less
than two kilometres from the district head quarters — became difficult
after the fire that was brought under control during the late hours of
Sunday spread over a wider area on Tuesday.

“The
force of the water could not penetrate the flames for more than a foot
or two from the surface, as tonnes of plastic carry bags helped the
water drain away from where water was sprayed.

Due to
this, water could not go deep below, where the fire was still burning,”
Fire and Rescue Services personnel said. Fire fighters said that the
height of the garbage stood close to 40 feet in the middle of the dump
yard that sprawls over an area of more than 14 acres.

“The
fire which was under control on the surface spread through the lower
layer and reached the other end of the yard where there was no fire.

“We
realised that we will have to take water deep below the surface to
completely put out the flames. Repeated attempts were made to hire earth
movers with metal chain wheels that could climb over the heaps of
burning garbage and remove the top layer of garbage, so that the water
could be gushed to the lower portions and out the fire.

“Only
one came forward for the job and has been employed since Monday night,
while others were not ready to take the risk of driving the vehicles on
burning garbage,” an official said.