THE Vunato dump fire is out and Lautoka residents are literally breathing a sigh of relief.
The fire was completely doused early yesterday and the Lautoka Residents and Ratepayers Association have lauded efforts taken by the Lautoka City Council to end the fire which raged for almost two weeks, billowing acrid smoke over a 11km radius.
Association president Narayan Reddy said while the council had taken steps to address the issue, it had only done so after the matter was highlighted in mainstream and social media.
“We want to thank the hard working staff of the Lautoka City Council – especially the Health Department workers and Vunato Dump employees for playing an integral role in putting the fire out,” he said.
“They worked around the clock and sacrificed time they could have spent with family to bring this fire under control and finally end it.” Mr Reddy said the end of the Vunato Dump blaze did not mean the curtains had closed on the issue.
“We will now push for the LCC to look at having fire hydrants at the dump site, perimeter fencing and the construction of a tower where security officers could have a bird’s eye view of the dump area.”
Mr Reddy began posting pictures of the dump fire last week Monday and highlighted the issue in the mainstream media throughout the last 10 days.
