6 days,176 bin fires in city

Fire Brigade officials said they had to work day and night to douse garbage bins on fire,rushing from one place to another. Shivaji Memane,station duty officer,said they dispatched the tenders as soon as they received any call on fire in garbage bins.

“In Ramtekdi,there was a huge slum just beside a garbage bin that was set on fire. If even one house catches fire,it can spread rapidly through the slums and cause a disaster. In many localities,we saw logs lying close to garbage bins and this can pose a threat.. People should take cognisance of this and refrain from setting bins on fire,” said Ramesh Baburao Gangad,station duty officer. The officials said the smoke from burning garbage bins could cause respiratory problems.

Waiting for rain

A massive fire is yet to be doused at the 160-acre Uruli Devachi garbage dump site. Dattatray Narayan Nagalkar,assistant divisional officer,Central Fire Brigade,said they have deployed two fire tenders and four water tankers on the site for the past two months.

“Our tankers are spraying water day and night to keep the fire under control. Only a long spell of rain can quell it now,” he said. Fire officials said their vehicles have also suffered damage while pressed into service at the Uruli dump as the approach road is in bad shape.