On Saturday, March 9th 2024, at 7:00 am, the Environmental Health Department (EHD) was informed of a fire at the Providenciales landfill. The fire was identified by the new Landfill Contractor, TCI Green Ecological, during their routine site inspection. The fire was located on the Southeast side of the landfill near the perimeter fencing on the edge of the decommissioned landfill cell. The fire is attributed to deep-seated hotspots and all efforts are ongoing to have it contained and extinguished.
The EHD wishes to advise the residents of Providenciales, especially those living in the Wheeland Phase 2 area, that the Department and TCI Green Ecological are urgently addressing the current fire at the disposal site with the assistance of all stakeholders. As of this Press Release, the fire has been approximately 85% contained. Residents are reminded to keep doors and windows closed to avoid any potential exposure to smoke while the fire is being brought under control.
Concerning this matter, the Environmental Health Department would like to inform the residents of the nearby communities of the ongoing fire extinguishing exercise at the Providenciales landfill. This is a project which is working to put out the existing underground fires. This incident highlights the importance of the fire extinguishing exercise to prevent further proliferation of fires at the landfill site.
Further updates will be provided in due course.
We wish to assure the public that we are committed to safeguarding public health while also creating an environment that is healthy and aesthetically pleasing to both residents and visitors to enjoy.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Public Safety and Utilities, Hon. Kyle Knowles, issued a response to RTC News, “As Minister for Public Safety and Utilities and Member of Parliament for Wheeland and West Caicos, I would like to provide an update regarding the recent fire incident at the solid waste management site (Providenciales dumpsite) over the weekend. The fire originated from a fire extinguishing exercise and was triggered by a hotspot flare-up.
In the early morning of Saturday, March 9, 2024, TCI Green Ecological Corporation Limited, the new management company of the solid waste management facility, identified a hotspot flare-up in the northwestern area of the landfill site. Swift action was taken by alerting the Domestic Fire Service and other supporting agencies to contain the situation.
Consequently, the site was temporarily closed to the public for safety reasons until the fire was brought under control. I commend the collaborative efforts of all involved, which led to the containment of the fire and the resumption of landfill operations on Sunday, March 10, 2024.
I want to remind the general public, particularly the residents of Wheeland, that a fire extinguishing plan has been in progress at the landfill site since February 26, 2024, and is scheduled to continue until June 2024. The primary aim of this initiative is to eliminate hotspots around the landfill, which have been causing smoke issues affecting the Wheeland community.
Therefore, ongoing extinguishing and remediation activities should be anticipated. However, every effort will be made to minimize and promptly address any potential effects such as hotspot flare-ups, which could escalate into larger fires.
Our commitment remains steadfast in prioritizing public safety and the well-being of all residents. We appreciate and ask for your continued cooperation and understanding as we strive to modernize the Providenciales solid waste management facility.”
