A major fire broke out in the area where plastic waste has been piled up at the site of the Brahmapuram solid waste treatment plant on Tuesday afternoon.
The area was covered with smoke as the refuse that have been accumulated on the campus over the years caught fire. The dry weather and wind in the region worsened the fire situation even as fire and rescue officials from the five nearby fire stations attempted to douse the fire.
An attempt to douse the fire using the water from the nearby Kadambrayar didn't succeed as the floating vegetation prevented the suction of water to fire tenders. The delay in operating fire hydrants had also hampered firefighting efforts, according to local residents.
Though the fire could be brought under control, the smoke billowing out of the garbage heaps has made life miserable for the residents of the nearby local bodies, they complained.
Fire outbreaks have become a regular affair at the site during the summer months.
Huge quantities of waste, including plastic refuse, from the Kochi Corporation and the nearby local bodies are being dumped on the campus. The efforts of the local body to process the waste through various measures, including biomining, have not succeeded fully.
