Fire Breaks Out at Kodungaiyur Dumpyard in Chennai for Second Time in a Week

A fire broke out at the Kodungaiyur landfill in Chennai on Friday night around 10:00 PM, marking the second such incident at the dumpyard within a single week. The blaze, which was caused by methane gas reacting with plastic and other combustible materials, prompted a joint dousing operation by the Fire and Rescue Services and Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) personnel.

The fire was brought under control after a few hours of firefighting operations that lasted until midnight. This incident follows a previous fire that occurred at the same landfill on June 21. Nearby residents reported that firefighters were actively battling the flames until at least 11:30 PM.

According to a corporation official, the fire did not occur in the biomining area of the landfill, but rather in the section where fresh municipal waste is dumped. Nearly six fire tenders were deployed to the site, and the fire was brought under control within about an hour of receiving the alert.

The thick billowing smoke from the fire caused breathing discomfort for some nearby residents. While prevailing winds carried the smoke westward, limiting the impact on the residential areas located to the east of the dumpyard, the incident has sparked public criticism regarding safety and supervision.

TK Shanmugam, the president of the Federation of North Chennai Residential Welfare Associations, raised concerns about the recurring fires and their impact on the public. He questioned whether the ongoing biomining work was being carried out without proper supervision at the site.

Shanmugam asked why monitoring officials, if present, were unable to detect and control the fire before it spread. He urged the GCC to identify and take action against the officials responsible for supervising the site and to ensure that adequate safety measures and emergency response mechanisms are put in place to prevent future occurrences.