At approximately 5:00 p.m., a fire broke out on a landfill at a non-hazardous waste storage facility shortly after the site had closed. The operational areas were covered with an inert material, but thick smoke and a strong odour continued to be released from the site. A message via the remote surveillance company alerted a guard, who then went to the site. The firemen managed to smother the burning waste with earth. The operator asked that a membrane of the landfill cell be sprayed down to prevent the fire from spreading. The fire was finally brought under control at around 10 p.m. The fire started again six days later.

The fire spread over 1 ha, and the site was then closed for several weeks with waste being diverted to other outlets. Material damage amounted to €120,000 (damage to the active barrier). Operating losses were estimated at €50,000. Environmental analyses were performed owing to the presence of market gardening activities nearby. The 12 m³ of water used to extinguish the fire was pumped out and treated.

According to the operator, the fire was caused by the climatic conditions (high temperatures), coupled with the presence of waste that was still hot in one of the last loads delivered to the site.

Following the fire, the operator:

• discussed the instructions with the fire brigade regarding intervention on site. The operator is considering the implementation of a designated company plan (ETARE);
• updated the site’s emergency telephone numbers;
• moved the cameras as close as possible to the area of operations to gain time via a remote alarm verification system;
• studied the possibility of placing a thin layer of earth on the intermediate levels to stop combustion from the combustion of the geomembranes from spreading following a fire.