Solo Landfill Fire May Take Another Seven Days To Extinguish

By Nik Nurfaqih Nik Wil

JAKARTA, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- Firefighters could take another seven days to fully extinguish a blaze that has been burning for nearly a week at a major landfill in Solo, Central Java, with 105 residents still displaced by lingering smoke.

The fire, which broke out on Sept 2 at the Putri Cempo landfill, spread across three of its four waste-disposal blocks, with Block C and Block D declared safe as of Monday night while firefighting continued in Block B.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Disaster Data, Information and Communication Centre Acting Head Berton Panjaitan said firefighting efforts were being concentrated on Block B, particularly around an extra-high-voltage overhead transmission line where hotspots remain, with ground crews using injection and water-spraying methods to reach areas still burning.

“The joint team is targeting the fire in Block B to be completely extinguished within the next seven days, with operations to be adjusted according to developments on the ground,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Berton said firefighters from Greater Solo, Semarang and Cilacap were involved in the operation, supported by military and police personnel and volunteers, while BNPB and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) were preparing a weather modification operation.

According to Surakarta’s Environment Agency, Putri Cempo, located in Mojosongo on the northeastern side of the city, covers about 17 hectares, including about 14 hectares of waste-disposal areas divided into four blocks, three of which were affected by the fire.

Evacuations began on Sept 3 as smoke spread to nearby communities, with 105 residents from Sulurejo hamlet in neighbouring Karanganyar Regency still at an evacuation centre on Tuesday.

-- BERNAMA