Thick smoke blanketed sections of Kingston following massive fire at Riverton City

Jamaica: Thick smoke blanketed sections of Kingston and parts of St. Andrew on Wednesday following a major fire at the Government’s Riverton City Dump. The issue has been addressing by the National Solid Waste Management Authority and the efforts are underway to deal with the smoke issue.

Meanwhile, Kingston Warms Ltd suspended operations at its facilities at Newport West for several hours on Wednesday due to the smoke and poor air quality resulting from the fire at Riverton. The Ministry of Health of Jamaica also advised the residents of Kingston, St Andrew and St Catherine to limit outdoor activities, wear fear masks and take other precautions against smoke inhalation.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced that the Government has allocated $150 million in emergency funding to truck water to areas in Jamaica affected by drought conditions. The money will also be used to assist in providing additional water tanks where necessary.

Notably, the fire was still blazing in several parts after the 24 hours as it was contained after 48 hours. Thousands of Jamaicans across the area have been facing the issues with the same problem.

Further, the nuisance has also been created by the smoke across the surrounding areas as people are facing the problems with the visibility and other tough conditions for breathing. However, the authorities specified that the measures have been taken to curtail the situation but the smoke will take time to cool down and demanded the patient behaviour from the public.

Executive Director of the NSWMA- Audley Gordon added that their resources would effectively manage the situation as they have full faith in their capabilities. He said that they have adequate cover material, heavy-duty trucks, equipment and experienced personnel who will combat the situation and provide necessary protection aid to the people who are affected.

He said that the government of Jamaica is committed to address the issue and ensure the safety and welfare of all people who are involved. The authorities added that the smoke from the Riverton City Dump fire could have serious health issues and shared the proactive measures such as the cleaning of the indoor air and consumption of the healthy food.

The first incident is not new for the community as the similar fire ravaged the Riverton City dumpsite in Kingston in 2022, 2021 and 2015. Plumes of smoke also blanketed the sections of Kingston and the citizens are asked to remain cautious during these days in the city.

The issue is a serious concern for the people of Jamaica as the fire caused havoc among them with severe health issues. This has led to the rage among the people who asked the government to take permanent measures for stopping such incidents.