VIDEO: Smoke hazard worsens

Schools, businesses close as fire rages on at Riverton dump

BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter matthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com

Saturday, February 11, 2012

MORE than 2 dozen schools were ordered shut while some businesses were forced to close their doors and turn away customers as toxic smoke from a fire at the Riverton City Landfill worsened yesterday.

The affected schools, 19 of which are located in St Andrew and the others in St Catherine — included Duhaney Park Primary, George Headley Primary, Edith Dalton- James High, Drews Avenue Primary, Pembroke Hall Primary and Junior High, Penwood High, Seaward Avenue Primary, Seaview Primary, Balcombe Drive Primary, Marverly Primary and Junior High, Balmagie Primary, St Patrick Primary, St Jude's Primary, Cockburn Gardens Primary and Junior High, Dupont Primary, Tavares Gardens Primary and Junior High, Haile Selassie High, St Peter Claver Primary, as well as all the early childhood institutions that were located in the vicinity.

Additionally, Southborough Primary, Waterford High, Cumberland High, Portsmouth Primary and Gregory Park Primary -- all in Portmore, St Catherine — were instructed to close.

In a statement to the media, the Ministry of Education — which gave the directive — said it was acting on the advice of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) to "secure the safety of all students".

Yesterday, officials at several of the affected schools told tales of students suffering fainting spells and complaining of respiratory problems.

"The situation is the worst that we have seen in years," said Elain Jones, principal of Seaview Primary.

The head teacher said when she arrived at school "the situation was so bad students were fainting".

Lydia Richards, principal at Duhaney Park Primary, who shared similar experience, said she was forced call parents to pick up their children even before the directive was given by the ministry.

"Because of the problem, contact was made with the education officer to inform them about the situation at the school," she told the Observer.

Meanwhile, several business entities located along the Mandela Highway, Spanish Town Road and in the immediate vicinity of the landfill were asked to send home staff because of the smoke nuisance.

At a hastily-called press conference yesterday, Minister of Local Government and Community Development Noel Arscott said that the site's emergency response team had reported steady progress to combat the blaze, which started on Monday. The emergency response team, which is being led by the Jamaica Fire Brigade, also includes members of the Jamaica Defence Force.

Yesterday, Arscott reiterated that the fire would be controlled by tomorrow, but said smoke abatement was not likely until in another five days.

"The agencies are working continuously to bring the fire under control and by all indication the fire is trending down," he told journalists

The minister said authorities were moving to set up equipment to test the air quality around sections of the Corporate Area. He said he would not hesitate to call for the evacuation of residents living closes to the dump if elements of toxic waste is discovered.

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VIDEO: Smoke hazard worsens