Firefighters and rescuers from Moldova’s General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU) have been battling fires at the Orhei city landfill for more than 24 hours.
The fire is burning both on the surface of the waste deposit and deep within the layers of waste, making the intervention and extinguishing efforts more difficult.
Approximately 1,500 square meters of the landfill have been affected by the fire, out of a total area of around 5,000 square meters.
According to IGSU, firefighters monitored the situation throughout the night and carried out operations to contain and extinguish the burning areas, preventing the flames from spreading to other sections of the landfill.
To completely eliminate the fire, firefighters, together with local authorities, are carrying out work to separate and spread the waste, identify smoldering areas, pump water onto the affected sections, transport waste and compact the landfill mass.
Three emergency response vehicles and 13 IGSU employees are currently involved in the operation. The mechanized work is being carried out with two bulldozers, four dump trucks and two tractors equipped with water tanks, supported by eight people operating the machinery and performing auxiliary tasks.
The situation is currently under control, while firefighters and rescuers, together with local authorities and heavy-equipment operators, continue working to completely extinguish the fire.
The blaze was reported to the 112 emergency service at 11:22 p.m. on August 19. Three firefighting crews, comprising 12 employees, were dispatched to the scene and managed to contain and extinguish the burning areas during the night, preventing the fire from spreading.