Residents reminded of fire dangers during dry season following incident at the Solid Waste Transfer Station

A fire was reported on Wednesday, April 24th, at the Solid Waste Transfer Station south of San Pedro Town. The reported fire broke out at around 1:30PM. According to Fire Department Chief Orin Smith, the fire might have started due to chemicals from the garbage, which produced toxins. However, the incident is still under investigation, and no official report has been released.
The Solid Waste Transfer Station, located at the southern end of Marina Drive, has been under construction since 2013 and is one of four transfer stations established across Belize. The station was built to replace the existing garbage dump and address the problem of improper garbage disposal. The site is a venue for collecting and sorting garbage before it is barged off the island to the mainland.
Following this fire, the San Pedro Fire Department urges the public to be cautious and vigilant, as they are unpredictable and can occur anytime and anywhere. With the dry season in full effect, Belizeans are starting to feel the heat. And with heat comes the threat of increased fire incidents, especially wildfires. Residents are asked to practice extra caution when lighting outdoor fires and avоіd burnіng durіng thе hоttеѕt раrt оf thе dау, аnd nеvеr lеаvе fіrеѕ unаttеndеd. Additionally, smokers are reminded to dіѕроѕе оf сіgаrеttе buttѕ рrореrlу as during hot weather, they саn ѕtаrt fіrеѕ іf thrоwn іn drу grаѕѕ оr buѕh. Residents are also reminded to nоt іntеntіоnаllу саuѕе а fіrе оr ѕеt fіrе tо gаrbаgе dumрѕ and avoid burning trash in residential spaces.
They have also shared some residential fire safety tips, such as checking electrical equipment and removing it from outlets if it is defective, inspecting heating sources, storing flammable products correctly, being cautious with open flames, keeping fire extinguishers or blankets around, and keeping flammable items out of children’s reach.
In a fire emergency, it’s essential to act swiftly. You can call the San Pedro Fire Department at 206-2372 and the San Pedro Police Formation at 206-2022. These emergency services are readily available to assist you and ensure your safety and the safety of your community.