Who's setting Riverton ablaze? Arsonists again fingered for fire at the island's major landfill

Andrew Harris, Gleaner Writer

Up to late yesterday, fingers were being pointed at arsonists as firefighters, protected by a contingent of police and soldiers, moved to put out yet another fire at the Riverton City Landfill in the Corporate Area.

The National Solid Waste Management Authority, which manages the landfill, and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) reported that the fire was confined to the tipping face of the dump.

The ODPEM said the fire extended across 15 acres of the dump, and was contained despite windy conditions and the prevailing water shortage that is being experienced in the Corporate Area.

According to the ODPEM, a multi-agency coordinated response was in effect but it gave no reason for the latest blaze, the second in just over one month.

But Sunday Gleaner sources said the fire was lit Friday night by persons with a grouse related to the fire at the landfill in March.

"Well, is from last night (Friday) it a blaze, and from what I heard it's the persons who were working with them from the last time the place was on fire are lighting it now," said the source, as he pointed to the presence of the police and soldiers to prevent persons from starting fires in other areas of the vast landfill.

With at least three fire trucks on the landfill yesterday afternoon, the thick smoke blanketed much of the area around Riverton, and the ODPEM urged persons "to avoid the area where possible, or to exercise extreme caution to mitigate against undue exposure".