Landfill fire: Chief details quick coordinated response
A fire erupted at 2 a.m. at the Walker County landfill on Wednesday, June 26, according to Joe Legge of the commissioner’s office.
The fire resulted when an area of the landfill was filled with material the previous day that subsequently flared up in the landfill’s construction and demolition (C&D) section, Legge said.
Legge said the C&D section is where building waste is disposed of that includes lumber, glass and brick.
Chief Blake Hodge of the Walker County Fire Rescue said his agency was “able to minimize the fire spread with the application of an estimated 35,000 gallons of water.”
“Firefighters coordinated with Walker County landfill and public works crews as they suppressed the fire utilizing heavy equipment and dirt,” the chief also stated.
Paine Gily, the landfill manager, said the fire had been distinguished and all hot spots had been addressed. “We are continuing to monitor the area,” Gily said.
“Team members from all three departments worked extremely well together to resolve this incident, which occurred at such an early hour, without any injuries,” Hodge said.
Commissioner Whitfield’s office added that “crews will continue to monitor this area in case the fire rekindles.”
Legge said that, at this point “a cause for the fire remains undetermined.”
Georgia EPD has been advised of the incident and is monitoring the situation.
And, on June 27 following the commissioner’s bi-monthly meeting, fire chief Hodge said that there had been no hot spot activity since the June 26 fire, so he believed it had been completely extinguished.
Hodge was present for the commissioner’s meeting in regards to a request for new firefighting equipment being approved. For that story see this week’s story on the commissioner’s meeting, which details all items being purchased for county departmental needs — at no debt cost to taxpayers.