| Faza Suraj |
DENSE black smoke could be seen from several kilometres away as a junkyard filled with hundreds of tyres caught fire yesterday due to the spread of a forest fire in Anduki.
Haji Shaharuddin Khairul bin Haji Anuar, the Acting Director of the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation (JASTRe), who was at the scene told the Bulletin, that the fire from burning tyres was difficult to extinguish, especially with the flammable nature of the tyres and the strong winds fanning the flames.
He said the fire was also causing health concerns as toxic fumes from the smoke were being dispersed throughout the area.
Muhd Shahreeni bin Haji Mohd Yussof, the Commanding Officer of Fire and Rescue Department Branch ‘B’ who was also at the scene, said the Fire and Rescue Department was doing all they can to extinguish the fire.
Thick smoke from the burning tyres at the junkyard can be seen several kilometres away. – FAZA SURAJ
However, he said that even after putting out the flames, there is still a risk of reignition due to the inaccessible heat under the piles of tyres.
The main problem in the efforts to extinguish the flames was a lack of water in the area as a huge amount of water is needed to douse a fire of such intensity, he added.
He confirmed that the cause of the inferno was the forest fire nearby.
“There was fire on the previous day and it was extinguished, but due to the dry and windy weather, the forest fire reignited and spread to the junkyard,” he said.
Ten firefighters and two fire engines were battling the blaze at press time yesterday.
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