Francofonte, Fire, smoke and finding of waste

FRANCOFONTE – Fire, smoke and the discovery of waste containing asbestos characterized Sunday afternoon. The firefighters of the Lentini detachment and the local police officers commanded by Commissioner Daniel Amato were involved. Even though the scorching heat and summer have not arrived, the countryside north and east of Francofonte continues to burn in the citrus-growing municipality. Last evening yet another fire affected part of the Annunziata district, not far from the Church, where there are homes and sports facilities. The owners of nearby houses raised the alarm about the presence of the fire, attracted by a high column of black smoke and the stench of burning plastic. The fire, in addition to quickly destroying several abandoned plots of citrus groves, devoured a large part of the Mediterranean scrub and cork plants. For hours the strong smell of plastic and intense black smoke engulfed the suburbs. The Fire Brigade and the Local Police arrived on site. During the operations to put out the fire, the commander of the Local Police Daniel Amato and his men discovered the presence of a mini landfill, in which pieces of asbestos, many car tires and waste of undifferentiated materials were found. For the abandoned toxic materials found at the site of the fire, the local police opened an investigation file against unknown persons as it is criminally relevant. For hours and until the evening, the road leading from the Canali Bridge to the church at the crossroads with Passanitello was closed to traffic. The origin of the fire has not been ascertained and it is yet another in a series of fires which in recent weeks have destroyed much vegetation in the countryside around Francofonte. “However, it remains a fact that many lands are left in a state of total abandonment and the presence of brushwood is a real emergency and represents the main cause of the development of fires” was the comment of the residents of the Annunziata district.

Alice Lopresti