Fire breaks out at Vellaikkal garbage dump yard

Fire breaks out at Vellaikkal garbage dump yard in Madurai, officials work to contain the man-made blaze.

A fire broke out at the Vellaikkal garbage dump yard near Avaniapuram here on Tuesday afternoon after flames from dry grass, reportedly set on fire near the dump yard, had spread to the garbage accumulated at the dump yard. Fire tenders from three fire stations were deployed at the dumping yard to put out the fire.

The officials of the Fire and Rescue Services Department said that they had received a call alerting them about the fire at around 2.30 p.m. The team from Tirupparankundram was the first to reach the spot and was followed by teams from Periyar and Anuppanadi fire stations.

Madurai Corporation officials said that it was not a massive fire and it would be contained by midnight. Adequate fire tenders and other officials were deployed at the spot. The officials said that it appeared to be a man- made fire. Someone must have set fire to dry grass which spread to the dump yard, they said.

The Fire and Rescue Services Department officials said that they were facing a difficult task. The fire was spreading along a slope of the garbage heap while the officials who were on top of the heap had to fight the fire and smoke billowing from the burning garbage.

They said that they had to use long hoses. While some officials were near the burning slope giving out instructions, other officials who were on top of the heap sprayed water continuously to lessen the impact. They said that scorching summer heat could also have been a reason for the fire to break out. Continuous efforts were on to put out the fire. A local resident who was near the spot said that earlier a fire broke out on the other side of the dump yard and was later contained.