Landfill fire battle not yet won
Firefighters have contained the fire at an abandoned Samut Prakan landfill, but they haven't put it out as dangerous gases continue to fill the air near the site. It could take another five days, officials say.
Firefighters have contained the fire at an abandoned Samut Prakan landfill, but they haven't put it out as dangerous gases continue to fill the air near the site. It could take another five days, officials say.
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Thick smoke engulfs a landfill site in Samut Prakan’s tambon Phraeksa. The fire started about noon on Sunday and was still smouldering yesterday. The photo was taken from a remote-controlled helicopter-mounted camera. SITHIKORN WONGWUDTHIANUN
During the day when the winds are blowing away, this area is almost liveable. PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD
At night, however, when the winds shift, the toxic smoke returns and residents move to shelters. PATTARACHAI PREECHAPANICH
20:00
Thai PBS reports that a massive effort is being made to put out the fire, but it will still take several days before it is completely out. Heavy winds are making the fight more difficult. During the day the wind blows off the sea and away from the site, making life much easier for residents, but at night, the wind shifts and the smoke returns, forcing residents into government shelters.
The Department of Special Investigation had a team at the site today and it was clear that must industrial waste had been dumped there illegally. The Thai PBS camera crew showed many types of metallic and other waste that was clearly not from ordinary households. Expect a major investigation when this is finished.
11:00
Thai PBS, reporting from the scene this morning, said the situation had improved somewhat, but smoke was still rising and the area surrounding the landfill site was still covered by haze and the air quality was poor.
Landfill fire spreads 'dangerous' gases
Apinya Wipatayotin & Suthiwit Chayutworakan
More than 200 residents were forced to flee after a Sunday blaze in Samut Prakan province engulfed vast areas of landfill and spread harmful pollution.
It took firefighters 20 hours to bring the fire under control but they failed yesterday to completely put it out and around 200 people from a nearby community left their homes for safety.
The fire started about noon on Sunday and firemen and more than 20 fire trucks rushed to the landfill site, covering over 100 rai, in tambon Phraeksa in Muang district.
At ground level, fire fighters use hoses to slowly contain the fire. PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD
Authorities from various units are currently struggling to control the damage and are providing help to residents whose neighbourhood has been declared a “disaster zone,” according to Samut Prakan governor Khanit Iamrahong.
The declaration followed the detection of harmful levels of sulphur dioxide in the air.
Wichien Jungrungruang, chief of the Department of Pollution Control, said the level of sulphur dioxide was high at 8-10 parts per million (ppm) within a 300 metre radius of the landfill. The level drops to 2-4 ppm outside a one kilometre radius from the fire site. The safety standard for sulphur dioxide is a ppm level under 0.75.
Meanwhile, the level of carbon monoxide in the air is quite high, but did not exceed the safety standard. The level of carbon-monoxide is at 12 ppm, compared with the safety standard of under 27 ppm.
Residents living near a burning landfill cover their mouths and noses with masks after thick smoke engulfed their community. SOMCHAI POOMLARD
He suggested people close to the scene should wear a mask or put a wet cloth over their noses to prevent toxic air from entering the body.
The amount of sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide will immediately drop to safe levels if the fire is extinguished, Mr Wichien said.
The department suggested people living within 1.5kms of the landfill evacuate to a safer place. There are at least six communities nearby that could be affected by the pollution.
Since Sunday night a large number of residents were evacuated to the auditorium of the Phraeksa Tambon Administration Organisation (TAO) while others chose to stay at relatives' homes.
The voluntary evacuation followed pollution and foul odours in the air as well as the risk that homes might catch fire after flames from the landfill, located in Soi Bang Pu Industrial Estate 8, quickly spread and, according to witnesses, the fire was reportedly just 50 metres away from some homes.
Rattana Srivichai, an officer at the Phraeksa TAO, said around 200 people took shelter at Phraeksa TAO on Sunday night. However, many people left for work and returned to their homes yesterday afternoon after the situation improved, thanks to many agencies tackling the crisis together.
''The situation was critical late on Sunday when thick smoke and pungent smells widely covered the community near the landfill,'' she said.
The pollution spread across at least four districts in Bangkok — Bang Na, Saphan Sung, Lat Krabang, and Prawet, said Somchai Chatsakulpen, deputy director of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Department of the Environment.
The landfill site is old and its usage has been banned for a long time, according to an investigation. However, officials found there has been illegal dumping there.
You can read our previous coverage and see more photos from the site here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-from-news/400267/dump-fire-lights-samut-prakan-skies
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