Fire Hits Old Kampala Waste Site.
A large fire broke out today at the closed Kiteezi waste site near Kampala. Black smoke filled the air as fire teams rushed to stop the flames.
Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago came to help guide the work. He brought city leaders with him to watch the fire teams.
The fire started deep in the waste heap. Experts say gas from old waste might have caught fire under the ground. This often happens at full waste sites.
"We see strange fire at the top of the waste hill," Lukwago said. "We think gas burns under it." He warned the site might burst like a small volcano if the fire keeps burning.
Fire teams want to put dirt on the flames instead of water, but they lack the machines to move enough dirt fast. They hope other methods will work before things turn worse.
Last August, parts of the waste hill fell down, killing people. The city closed the site after that. But old waste still makes gas under the ground, which can catch fire or blow up.
The site needs ways to let gas out safely. But these systems were never built. Years ago, experts said this could lead to fires.
The city must fix these problems fast. People's lives are at risk near the old waste site, and better waste care plans need to come soon.
A large fire broke out today at the closed Kiteezi waste site near Kampala. Black smoke filled the air as fire teams rushed to stop the flames.
Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago came to help guide the work. He brought city leaders with him to watch the fire teams.
The fire started deep in the waste heap. Experts say gas from old waste might have caught fire under the ground. This often happens at full waste sites.
"We see strange fire at the top of the waste hill," Lukwago said. "We think gas burns under it." He warned the site might burst like a small volcano if the fire keeps burning.
Fire teams want to put dirt on the flames instead of water, but they lack the machines to move enough dirt fast. They hope other methods will work before things turn worse.
Past Dangers
The Kiteezi site took Kampala's waste for many years. It held more waste than it should. This made it unsafe.Last August, parts of the waste hill fell down, killing people. The city closed the site after that. But old waste still makes gas under the ground, which can catch fire or blow up.
The site needs ways to let gas out safely. But these systems were never built. Years ago, experts said this could lead to fires.
The city must fix these problems fast. People's lives are at risk near the old waste site, and better waste care plans need to come soon.
