The landfill fire in Tripoli, as thick black smoke envelops the area. (L'Orient Today/Michel Hallak)
BEIRUT — One of Tripoli's main garbage dumps caught fire Wednesday, emitting a large column of black smoke and sparking concern over potentially dangerous gases, L'Orient Today's correspondent in North Lebanon reported. Firefighters rushed to the scene, while residents called on the army to send its helicopters to help put out the fire.
The cause of the fire was not yet clear Wednesday afternoon. Some residents expressed fears of a potential explosion due to the toxic substance known as landfill gas that emanates from such sites and is made up partly of methane.
Warnings circulated via social networks dissuading residents from approaching the fire, and encouraging them to wear masks to protect themselves from the pollution. The army also called on residents to evacuate the surrounding buildings.
Nour Ayoubi, the chairperson of the Tripoli municipality's environment committee, said in a statement Wednesday that a different Tripoli landfill — and not the one currently on fire — is the one that contains large quantities of methane, ruling out the risk of a potential explosion. He nevertheless warned against the toxic fumes from the fire.
Tripoli, like other parts of Lebanon, has been suffering from inconsistent trash collection as the country witnesses a major economic crisis.
Reporting contributed by Michel Hallak and Souhayb Jawhar