KOCHI: The Kochi corporation's Brahmapuram solid waste treatment plant on Friday witnessed a fire outbreak, the fifth in the last two and half months. The mishap was a minor one this time, unlike the massive fire occurred on February 22 which lasted for a couple of days and enveloped the city and its outskirts under a blanket of thick smoke.
Waste transported from the flood-affected areas of the district, piled up at the southern part of the waste dumping yard, caught fire by noon. Fire units from Gandhi Nagar and Thrikkakara stations of the fire and rescue department rushed to the spot and doused the fire in a couple of hours. Fire and rescue personnel demolished compound wall of the yard to access the plastic garbage heap. Trees near the waste piles gutted in the fire.
The local residents spotted the fire and informed the authorities. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
Mayor Soumini Jain visited the plant and expressed doubts about chances of a sabotage.
District collector Muhammad Y. Safirulla expressed serious concerns over the frequent incidents of fire at the plant and instructed the authorities to register case against the Corporation official who failed to take necessary safety measures.
Meanwhile, the Corporation which claimed to have taken measures to streamline functioning of the plant is yet to complete set up the safety measures proposed by the district collector during the stakeholders' meeting convened on March 1, soon after the previous fire incident.
The Vadavukodu - Puthencruz panchayat, where the plant is situated, is all set to launch a protest against the callous approach of the corporation. The panchayat had earlier given an ultimatum to the corporation to set up safety measures failing which it has warned to issue a stop memo to the plant.
