Fire at waste landfill in Jel Aga controlled

The People's Municipality in Jel Aga continues to implement a series of preventive measures to protect agricultural crops during the harvest season. The most notable effort involved responding to a fire that broke out at a waste landfill located east of the city adjacent to farmland, following several days of intensive efforts.

According to the People's Municipality, the intervention was carried out following multiple reports from residents regarding persistent fires at a waste dump located within a landfill area east of the city. These fires posed a direct threat to adjacent agricultural lands, especially as temperatures rose and the harvest season began.

In response, municipal teams and the fire department used heavy machineries and water tanks to extinguish the fire, clear waste from around the agricultural fields, and implement cooling measures at the site to prevent re-ignition.

The People's Municipality clarified that firefighting efforts faced significant challenges due to repeated attempts by individuals working in waste collection services to set fires within the landfill, which hindered the work of fire departments. It noted that warnings had been issued to these individuals, and their names were reported to the People's Municipality administration for appropriate legal and administrative action, preventing them from entering the site and holding them the responsibility for any damages resulting from the fires.

After several days of continuous efforts, the teams managed to fully contain the fire and clear the surrounding agricultural land of waste materials and flammable debris.

The People's Municipality emphasized that its preventive campaign will not be limited to this site but will also cover other waste landfills in the region, including the landfill in Shebak village west of the city and the landfill in Hamra town east of it, with the aim of reducing fire risks and protecting agricultural crops.

In this context, Munir Hassen; the administrator of the Fire Department in Jel Aga, stated that the Emergency Committee of the People's Municipality has implemented a series of preventive measures at the start of the harvest season, including combating fires caused by dumpsites and cleaning areas surrounding agricultural lands.

He added, "Firefighting teams and municipal machineries have been working for several days to extinguish the fire and cool down the area. However, some waste collection workers were rekindling the flames, which prompted us to report their names to the municipal authorities so that appropriate action could be taken against them."

Hassen noted that the municipality had intensified its efforts by leveraging additional resources from the city, which helped fully control the fire and clean up the surrounding area. He emphasized that work would continue at other fire sites as part of the approved preventive plan.

Concluding the talk, Hassen urged the residents to cooperate with fire departments and the People's  Municality by refraining from setting fires in waste piles or dry vegetation, and avoiding the disposal of glass or other flammable materials along roadsides, emphasizing that protecting the agricultural season is a collective responsibility that requires concerted efforts from everyone.

ANHA