The Jatibarang Semarang landfill fire has been 90 percent extinguished

The Jatibarang landfill fire in Semarang is starting to be brought under control. The firefighting team is still on standby to carry out cooling and monitoring.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Kebakaran TPA Jatibarang Semarang Telah 90 Persen Padam

ARSIP DAMKAR KOTA SEMARANG

A number of fire trucks are on standby at the Jatibarang landfill in Semarang, Central Java on Tuesday (19/9/2023). The fire at the landfill has been extinguished by about 90 percent. The monitoring and cooling process is still ongoing.

SEMARANG, KOMPAS- On the second day of the Jatibarang landfill fire in Semarang, Central Java, the fire is starting to be under control. Out of the total area of approximately 2 hectares that has been burned, 90% of it has been extinguished. The firefighting team is still on standby to conduct cooling measures at the location.

"90 percent has been extinguished. I am still at the post with the fire department team. There is still fire, but it is within the garbage or refuse piles. The burned area is about 2 hectares," said the Head of Emergency and Logistics Department of the Semarang Regional Disaster Management Agency, Bambang Haryanto, when contacted from Banyumas on Tuesday (19/9/2023) afternoon.

Also read: Fire burns down Jatibarang landfill in Semarang

Bambang stated that to monitor and ensure the fire is completely extinguished, the city government has established a public kitchen around the Jatibarang landfill and a field post. "At present, there are four fire trucks deployed. They are still continuously spraying water. For waste disposal activities, they were moved to the lower side," he said.

KOMPAS/KARINA ISNA IRAWAN

Dozens of cattle roam freely in the Jatibarang garbage dump in Semarang, Central Java, on Tuesday (18/7/2017). According to local residents, the cattle were intentionally released by their owners to forage through the piles of garbage. Every day, the Jatibarang garbage dump receives 850-900 tons of waste from Semarang City and its surroundings.

When contacted separately, the Head of Operations and Rescue Department of the Semarang City Fire Department, Untung Sugiono, stated that the fire still leaves some small flames that can be dealt with by the team. "The fire is no longer big, only small. For example, if it is crushed with a heavy equipment like a bulldozer, the fire will be extinguished. We are also continuing to spray with our fleet," said Untung.

See also: Every day, waste at the Jatibarang landfill increases by 800 tons

According to Untung, his team will continue to alert two fire trucks at the location in anticipation of a large fire reappearing. "Later, at 15.00, we will withdraw the fleet, but there will be 1-2 units on standby there," he said.

Fortunately, he added, the fire and smoke were still visible, but were no longer a concern even though the winds at the location were still quite strong. "We also alerted five to six personnel at the location. For how long, we will see the conditions on the ground. If, for example, tomorrow morning there are no problems, (personnel) we will withdraw all of them. However, if the fire still appears to be extinguished, appears to be extinguished, (personnel) will still be on standby. "We don't know (its condition) because it's a pile of rubbish," he said.

ARSIP DAMKAR KOTA SEMARANG

The fire at Jatibarang landfill site in Semarang has started to subside on Tuesday (19/9/2023). Fire trucks are still on standby at the location.

As previously reported (Kompas.id, 18/9/2023), a fire began to emerge at this landfill on Monday afternoon at 14.00. Semarang Mayor Hevearita Gunaryanti Rahayu said the fire was at the passive zone of Jatibarang landfill at 14.00. "That is a passive zone or not used. I asked what caused it because it was locked. No one went there. There were dry bushes. I have repeatedly asked friends to cut and clean it so that there is no friction," said Ita, a nickname for Hevearita.

Ita appealed to the public to be alert to this long dry season and asked the public to pay attention to bushes that have the potential to cause fires. "I ask DLH (environmental service) to really monitor it and have a fire truck on standby here as a precaution. "The scavengers are also asked to look after them," he said.

According to Ita, waste disposal activities can still be carried out because the burnt zone is in a passive or unused zone.