Fire Force fears Brahmapuram blaze may return, chalks out preventive strategy

Kochi: The firefighting mission at the Brahmapuram solid waste treatment plant is said it to be in the final stage. The Fire and Rescue Services, joined by other agencies including the Navy, has been carrying out all-out efforts to contain the flames and smoke from the plant ever since the blaze broke out on March 2.

The flames have almost been doused even though the authorities are not in a position to call off the mission as they fear another round of fire might occur anywhere in the large swathes of untreated garbage, comprising tonnes of plastic.

Tonnes of unsegregated garbage is lying in mounds across the 110-acre plant and the heaps have been catching fire from beneath in what the rescue force terms ‘ground fire’ incidents. The fire force has adopted the strategy of dousing the flames from its roots. The challenge is that by the time the fire at one point is doused smoke could be emanating from another spot.

Given the unpredictable situation, the Fire and Rescue Services has suggested that the plant must be on alert at least for two months. The force has chalked out a precautionary plan to be followed to avoid a repeat of the ongoing hazard.

The major proposal by the force is that the garbage remaining in the plant should be split into heaps of 30 square metre. Each such heap should have motorable road with a width of 6 metre on two sides.

“Dedicated hydrant systems with motors of sufficient capacity have to be installed in each point. There should be permanent water tank with a capacity of 3 lakh litre in the plant,” District Fire Officer K Harikumar told Onmanorama.

The plan is meant to ensure that even if the garbage catches fire again, it does not spread all over as happened this time.

He said the fire situation at the plant has to be monitored every month by a committee comprising competent authorities. The officer said action has to be taken against the management of the plant based on the Disaster Management Rules if they fail to implement the precaution strategies.

The Fire and Rescue Services have already flagged the lapses in the plant. The hydrants at the plant were not functioning when the fire broke out. Kochi Corporation Mayor has blamed the low water level in the nearby water-body, Kadambrayar, for the equipment remaining dysfunctional. Lack of roads also made the operation at Brahmapuram plant difficult.

As many as 220 firefighters belonging the government force have been working tirelessly on the ground at Brahmapuram for the past 10 days.

They were joined by the members of the force’s Civil Defence volunteers group, and home guards.

The fire force has been joined by the Navy, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), Cochin Port, and Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) in the operation.