Kochi : After 12 days of collective efforts, the fire and smoke at the Brahmapuram waste plant has completely subsided. On Monday (March 13) around 5.30 pm, 100 percent of the smoke was extinguished, District Collector N.S.K. Umesh informed. After the Brahmapuram fire was extinguished, the Disaster Management Authority met to review plans to prevent future fires in Brahmapuram. The collector was speaking after the meeting.
Fire and Rescue, Revenue, Navy, Air Force, Civil Defence, Police, Home Guard, Corporation, Cochin Port Trust, LNG Terminal, BPCL, Health, Excavator Operators etc. were able to douse the fire. Since it is a smoldering fire, strict vigilance will continue for the next 48 hours due to the possibility of small fires. Fire and rescue personnel are camped out to extinguish even small fires. Even if there is a fire, it will be extinguished within two hours. Excavators and equipment are available for this purpose. All precautions have been taken. Currently, the fire and smoke have been completely extinguished.
The fire brigade has been instructed to prepare a short-term plan to prevent future fires. A detailed action plan for appointing fire watchers and installing equipment including hydrants will be prepared and given to the district administration. The next step will be accordingly. Short-term and long-term plans to prevent recurrence of fires will be implemented soon.
Personnel involved in firefighting operations have to experience physical and mental stress. Steps have been taken to ensure the health care of these personnel. A medical camp will be organized on Tuesday by availing the services of the team from the medical college at Kakanad Social Health Centre. Specialist doctors including pulmonologist will be available in the camp. Collector requested all employees to participate in this. Psycho-social support of District Mental Health Scheme will also be made available. Action will be taken under the leadership of the District Medical Office of the respective districts to ensure health care for the employees from different districts. Their continued health care will also be ensured.
Air quality is improving. Particulate matter levels have reached 139 from last week’s 442. It is expected to decrease further. The Collector said that just as it worked in mission mode to put out the fire, the district administration would also work in support of the local self-government bodies to find a permanent solution for waste management.
98 firemen, 22 excavator operators, 57 civil defense personnel, 24 Kochi Corporation employees, 16 home guards and 4 policemen were on the scene during the final stage of fumigation at the Brahmapuram waste plant. 22 excavators, 18 fire units and 3 high pressure pumps worked. Fumigation of Sector West and Sector 1 was completed most recently. The most arduous task was to quell the swamp smoke. Efforts to control the smoke were made by deploying Aska lights in the area of the waste plant even at night.
The problem faced in the swamp area was that fire tenders could not be reached directly. This was solved by pumping water at high pressure from Kadambarayar using high capacity pumps. In this way, 4000 liters of water was pumped per minute. The pump was also used to bring water to other corners where fire tenders could not reach.
The plant area was divided into 7 sectors for smoke suppression. The regional fire officer said that due to the joint efforts of various departments, the smoke was completely extinguished. After 12 days of collective efforts, the fire and smoke at the Brahmapuram waste plant has completely subsided. On Monday (March 13) around 5.30 pm, 100 percent of the smoke was extinguished, District Collector N.S.K. Umesh informed. After the Brahmapuram fire was extinguished, the Disaster Management Authority met to review plans to prevent future fires in Brahmapuram.