Joburg vows to extinguish Pikitup fire ‘by Wednesday’
Johannesburg MMC for environment and infrastructure services Mpho Moerane has given an assurance that the fire at the Pikitup site in Roodepoort will be extinguished by Wednesday.
The compost site caught fire on September 28 and smoke has since engulfed the area.
Moerane visited the site on Saturday afternoon to check on the progress made by emergency services.
The MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services Mpho Moerane is this morning visiting the Panama fire site. The area has been emitting smoke since fire broke in September pic.twitter.com/8LPqrtyJxB
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) October 17, 2020
Moerane says cleaning up the site has been trial and error.
"What we have seen today is shocking. The smoke and the fire is terrible, but as the city, we are assuring residents that by next week Wednesday we would have out the fire.
"The city's firefighters have helped us to clear most of the fire, almost 75% is cleared. We have to confess it is a trial and error but we got it right and we are putting out the fire," Moerana added.
He said the city is planning to shut down the plant after the fire has been extinguished, although discussions still need to be had with the nearby community.
#Panorama | Shaun Cluney, a resident, saus the smoke had a negative effect on the community with certain primary schools closing and families relocating their children pic.twitter.com/yhXvsgIgr8
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) October 17, 2020