(Adnkronos) – Keep shutters closed and limit outdoor exposure (doors and windows) of homes to the “essential minimum”. This was ordered by Pietro Puccio, mayor of Capaci (Palermo), after the fire that last night affected the seventh tank of the Bellolampo landfill in Palermo. The mayor issued an ordinance. Throughout the night, several fire brigade teams, together with personnel from Rap, the city’s environmental hygiene company that manages the landfill, and personnel from the Civil Protection worked to put out the flames, which are believed to have been caused by arson. The fire has been put out and two fire brigade teams remain on site to prevent small outbreaks from fueling the fire again. “Further assessments, warnings and recommendations that are deemed useful and necessary will be provided promptly, depending on the evolution of the situation, which is constantly monitored”, explains the mayor of Capaci. The fire broke out last night around 8.30pm in the seventh tank of the landfill, in the area currently in use, fueled by a light south-east wind. Rap workers intervened immediately with earthmoving equipment. “Due to the times and methods, there is a clear preference for a malicious origin,” says Salvatore Cocina, head of the regional civil protection. ARPA (Regional Environmental Protection Agency) technicians monitored air quality and toxic concentrations throughout the night. A thick blanket of black smoke invaded the area, blown by the wind towards the nearby town of Capaci. The various outbreaks have now been extinguished. “There are no longer any flames, but smoke is emanating from the piles of waste”, explain the Palermo Provincial Fire Brigade. NBCR staff are also on site to carry out the relevant surveys. —[email protected] (Web Info)
