Fire at Dadumajra dumping ground: Smoke spreads at night, locals struggle to breathe

It was around 1.40 am that a patrolling police party notified the fire station about the fire at the dumping ground. Officials said that the fire was so huge that it was not under control even after 12 hours of it being reported.

Commissioner Mitra, while speaking to The Indian Express, said, “It seems it was arson. I have directed that an FIR be lodged.”
Fire officials stated that four fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the flames were difficult to control since they had reached the lower piles of the waste dump. They stated that due to the inflammable methane gas, the flames were spreading quickly.

Residents staying near the dump said they felt slightly breathless around 5 am and went outside to check what had happened. They noticed the blanket of smoke covering the area and realised that a fire had broken out at the dumping ground.

The smoke gradually extended to cover Sector 38, sector 25, Dhanas. In areas in and around Sector 24, residents felt a burning sensation in their eyes, irritation in their throat and breathlessness.

Although the exact cause of the fire is still not known, Dyal Krishan, a local resident and President of the Dumping ground Joint Action Committee, said that the temperature was not high enough to cause a fire and that it appears to be the work of some miscreants.

“Since it was windy throughout the day, smoke entered several areas. Commuters and nearby locals faced severe burning sensations in their eyes and had troubled breathing. Even the fans had to be switched off as it was circulating the smoky wind,” he said.

“The administration and the Corporation are spending crores of rupees in the name of Swacchta but they are unable to get a full proof solution so that hundreds of people staying here can actually live their lives peacefully,” Krishan added.