NSWMA and fire department battling blaze at disposal facility in St Ann, arson suspected

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) says teams are working to extinguish a fire at its Haddon Disposal Facility in Moneague, St Ann, which it says has been ongoing for approximately 48 hours.

The NSWMA says the circumstances surrounding the blaze have led the agency to suspect that the fire was deliberately set, but cautioned that the cause is still being investigated.

The authority, in a media release today, stated that the fire was observed at approximately four separate locations within the facility, with notable intervals between the outbreaks, and the fire subsequently spread rapidly.

“These circumstances have led the authority to strongly suspect that the fire may have been deliberately set… however, no definitive conclusion has been reached at this time.”

The matter has been reported to the Jamaica Constabulary Force in St Ann.

The authority said it will await the findings of the relevant investigations before making any final determination regarding the cause of the fire.

The NSWMA said the matter is being treated seriously.

The agency said it has mobilised its teams and equipment in collaboration with the Jamaica Fire Brigade to contain and extinguish the fire and continues to work diligently to minimise its impact on surrounding communities and the environment.

“Over the last 48 hours, our teams alongside the Jamaica Fire Brigade have been working tirelessly to contain this fire. We have observed circumstances that are highly concerning and which raise the possibility of deliberate ignition. However, we are very careful not to prejudge the investigation. We will allow the relevant authorities to conduct their investigations and determine the cause,” said NSWMA Executive Director Audley Gordon.

The NSWMA is reminding members of the public that disposal facilities are critical components of Jamaica’s waste management infrastructure and that any deliberate act that threatens these facilities can have serious consequences for public health, the environment, workers and surrounding communities.

The authority is appealing to anyone with information that may assist in determining how the fire started to contact the relevant authorities.

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