22 August 2011

Garbage fire in West Belconnen

| johnboy
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fire

ACT Fire Brigade on scene at a large fire at a recycling business in West Belconnen.

Firefighters are working to extinguish the fire in a very large pile of mulch, timber and other materials.

Crews are also trying to prevent the fire from spreading to several prime movers parked nearby.

Update to follow.

Firefighting operations continuing on site.

No homes are under threat.

The site is located in the Parkwood Industrial Estate on Parkwood Drive.

10:28 am Saturday 20 August 2011

Earth moving equipment is being used to put containment lines in place around the fire to protect nearby businesses.

The fire is expected to take several hours to extinguish.

10:55am Saturday 20 August 2011

Firefighters are continuing to work on the fire which now covers an area about 60metres x 60metres within the large pile of recyclable materials.

Smoke continues to be blown away from residential properties in West Belconnen.

1:55pm Saturday 20 August 2011

The fire is now contained with completion of a containment line around the site.

Winds are forecast to remain favourable for the rest of the day.

The ACT Fire Brigade expect firefighting operations to continue well into tonight.

2:30pm Saturday 20 August 2011

The fire is contained and under control.

Fire crews changing over now with firefighting to continue overnight until fully extinguished.

ACTSES also on scene providing lighting towers.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this stage.

6:05pm Saturday 20 August 2011

The ACT Fire Brigade remains on scene this morning with several units at the Parkwood recycling business fire.

The fire remains under control and within containment lines but is expected to keep burning for at least another 24 hours.

Smoke from the fire is still being blown away from residential areas.

6:28am Sunday 21 August 2011

Recycling business fire Firefighters spent the day turning over piles in the fire at the recycling business fire in the Parkwood Industrial Estate at West Belconnen.

The ACT Fire Brigade will maintain one crew on scene overnight.

Firefighters will start turning over the piles again in the morning as they continue to work on extinguishing the fire.

Winds continue to be light in the area.

7:15pm Sunday 21 August 2011

[Courtesy ESA]

If you’ve got any pictures send them in to images@the-riotact.com .

photo by P1

[Photos by P1]

Here’s a slideshow of the photos readers have sent in:

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Skidbladnir said :

p1 said :

It is a pretty damn big pile’O’crap out there

While that is a very good photo, you might want to mention to people when you’re about to make their Facebook profile open.
(IE: did you intend for people like me to be able to stalk Lukas Tan or see the rest of the photos and albums on his profile?)

Mmmm, can’t say that I did, I guess that is one of the dangers of the interwebs I keep hearing about… 😐

Security through obscurity….

p1 said :

It is a pretty damn big pile’O’crap out there

While that is a very good photo, you might want to mention to people when you’re about to make their Facebook profile open.
(IE: did you intend for people like me to be able to stalk Lukas Tan or see the rest of the photos and albums on his profile?)

My understanding is the waste has been left there from a failed (apparently) building recyclers that accepted anything and charged a fortune. Its now up to TAMS to clean up the mess. Pretty similar to the tyre effort a few years back.
Slow learners perhaps?????

gooterz said :

Just a bit sus.. wasnt there a fire a couple of days ago similar, plus its been raining a fair bit lately

It is a pretty damn big pile’O’crap out there, not really any surprise that it caught fire. I am sure that the cops and fire investigators are looking into any suspicious things, but more likely some poorly planned grinding, or a hot vehicle exhaust started it.

As for rain… there has been a bit, but there has been more grass fires locally in the last couple of months then there was all summer….

dvaey said :

Maybe theyre trying to clear the rubbish, for development? That land must be starting to become valuable, with other suburbs developments happening around it.

I really don’t think that land is viable as housing – the clean up would be immense. There are a lot of established businesses out there, including Parkwood Eggs (as it is, I’m sure the people living in West Macgregor get a whiff of it if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction), it’s the site of an old tip, and there are mountains of waste piled up out there – I’m sure a good proportion of it toxic.

I’d not be surprised to see housing moving ever closer to that area, but as for housing on this site…they’re gonna need a bigger fire.

gooterz said :

Just a bit sus.. wasnt there a fire a couple of days ago similar, plus its been raining a fair bit lately

Maybe theyre trying to clear the rubbish, for development? That land must be starting to become valuable, with other suburbs developments happening around it.

Just a bit sus.. wasnt there a fire a couple of days ago similar, plus its been raining a fair bit lately

Remnants of the fire continue to smoulder @ 8am. Light smoke still rising and moving low in a northerly direction toward the falls.

it actually appears to be getting worse out there… more smoke anyhow…

Looks like it has taken hold, they have put out a call for RFS crews to stay with it overnight.

1.50pm and still burning fiercely – can see the smoke clearly from Dunlop… rising up and out towards Ginninderra Falls…

creative_canberran11:18 am 20 Aug 11

The Bronto Platform sped through Barton around 9am like a bat out of hell, not sure if it’s related.

I’m only a couple of minutes away, can’t see or smell any smoke, just the aroma of spring jonquils

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