Pollution
Humain
Environnement
Economique

At around 4:00 a.m., a fire broke out in an operating cell at a landfill. The firefighters were notified by a third party. Due to the size of the blaze, some fifty firefighters and 16 vehicles were brought in. Water cannons were used to fight the fire. A trench was dug through the waste to prevent the flames spreading to the untouched part of the cell. A layer of foam was sprayed to reduce the amount of smoke drifting towards the neighbouring village and protect the biogas pipe running through the cell. As the waste continued to burn after the flames were extinguished, the cell was covered with earth and gravel to smother the combustion. However, two new nascent fires were found and extinguished in the early afternoon.

The fire destroyed 6000 m³ of waste and damaged the cell’s liner along 3000 m². The firewater was collected using a leachate collection system. The landfill resumed partial operations for a few months until the active barrier could be repaired.

The firefighters stated that four things helped their efforts: an employee was on hand to meet and guide them, the site’s vehicle access paths were clear, water resources (stormwater ponds) were available for use, and the firewater containment ponds had a sufficient available capacity. However, they encountered several difficulties that must be addressed by the operator:

  • They had trouble finding the exact location the biogas pipe running through the landfill cell. Its location must be made visible and its shut-off valves must be marked on a layout drawing.
  • They had not been provided with a plot plan. Such a plan (showing access points, water supply points, etc.) should be provided at the site’s entrance and be detachable for reference when responding to emergencies.
  • They had difficulty telling the effluent ponds and the stormwater ponds apart (only the latter may be used to fight fires). Signs indicated the types of pond and their water capacity should be posted. The lower portion of the fence could be opened on all four sides to make it easier to slip fire-engine hoses through.