Chennai Perungudi landfill fire: Personnel struggle to bring major fire under control

Speaking to IndianExpress.com, a corporation official said, “More than the fire, the smoke is causing suffocation. Even the firefighters are facing difficulties.” Officials also that due to the land breeze, they are having difficulties in controlling the fire.

Meanwhile, Chennai Deputy Mayor Mahesh Kumar, who went to the landfill this morning, told the media that teams of fire and rescue personnel, and corporation workers have been working tirelessly since last evening to bring the fire under control. “We have taken steps to ensure the fire doesn’t spread. We will discuss with the fire department, and put in a word to the mayor and ministers to set up a permanent fire service station here,” he said.

Kumar added that officials are also trying to prevent the fire from spreading to the Pallikaranai marshland, an ecologically sensitive spot that attracts several species of birds, which is spread across close to five kilometres.

There is a large fire at the Perungudi dumpyard right now, near Pallikaranai marshland. Smoke reaching our apartments several kilometers away. Picture below as seen from my terrace at 4.45pm today.@Krish_TNIE @supriyasahuias @chennaicorp @Poojixx pic.twitter.com/CSTBYAiurj

— M.Yuvan (@Yuvan_aves) April 27, 2022

Though the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, activists claim the methane inside the landfill is aggravating the flames.

A total of nine fire tenders and rescue personnel from Thoraipakkam and Velachery have been deployed to douse the flames. Two metro water tankers have also been brought to the spot. Workers from the corporation and Chennai metro water are also engaged in this operation.

On an average, about 2,000 tonnes of wet waste is dumped at the Perungudi landfill on a daily basis.

Several people took to social media to express their concern over the fire.

Chennai (Perungudi) Dumpyard &
Delhi Dumpyard on fire!!

Major cities with no proper waste management!
This is what happens when we don’t segregate at source and keep sending all trash to Landfills..#SegregateAtSource #NoLandfills#TrashTroopers #WasteManagement pic.twitter.com/U5dL0sexLb

— Paul Pradeep CN (@cnpaulpradeep) April 28, 2022

#Perungudi #Dumpyard
It continues to burn. Shot this just now. Hope the fire is put off soon.
It is the nesting season of many species of birds which are residents of Pallikaranai Marsh, and they are all going to be affected. pic.twitter.com/JcQCLz2FzR

— 🐦 Birdman (@amabirdman) April 28, 2022

Current scenario of Perungudi dump yard
Heavy smoke due to unexpected fire pic.twitter.com/MXfMYSZBqm

— PkPraveen 📸 (@pk_views) April 27, 2022