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Health Advisory Issued Due To Ensley Landfill Fire
January 22, 2013
A health advisory has been issued due to a landfill fire that is continuing to burn in the Ensley area.
The Cove Landfill, located directly behind Pine Meadow Elementary School, has been burning since Friday, often producing large amounts of smoke. The fire is burning underground, where natural debris such as tree limbs, stumps and other natural material spontaneously combusted. Officials say there is no construction debris in the material.
Children at Pine Meadow Elementary were relocated from portable classrooms into the main building on Tuesday as a precaution. Air conditioners and fans were used to keep air circulating for students.
Escambia County was working Tuesday afternoon to dump large amounts of dirt on the fire in an effort to smother and extinguish it.
HEALTH ADVISORY
“Smoke is a respiratory irritant that can cause scratchy throat or irritated eyes and nose. Smoke can also worsen conditions such as asthma and other chronic respiratory or lung conditions. Dust generated from fire response activity may also worsen these conditions,” the Escambia County Health Department said in a health advisory release.
The health department offered the following tips:
- Pay attention to local air quality reports, news coverage, or health warnings related to smoke.
- Use common sense when outside conditions are smoky. Avoid outdoor activities, particularly for children and persons with severe or chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma or chronic lung disease.
- While inside, residents should close windows and run their heating or cooling system, if possible. Keep the fresh air intake closed, and change or clean the system’s filter as needed to prevent bringing additional smoke inside.
- Help keep particle levels lower inside. When smoke levels are high, try to avoid using anything that burns, such as wood fireplaces, gas logs, gas stoves and even candles. Do not vacuum, which stirs up particles already inside your home. Also do not smoke tobacco.
- Follow your doctor’s advice about taking medicines and following your asthma management plan if you have asthma or other lung disease. Call your doctor if your symptoms worsen.
- For medical emergencies, call 911 or go immediately to the nearest emergency room.
Pictured: Smoke billows from the Cove Landfill behind Pine Meadow Elementary School Tuesday. Photos by WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
21 Responses to “Health Advisory Issued Due To Ensley Landfill Fire”
BrattBratt-
This is an absolute nightmare for anyone with asthma or COPD. Scoff at it when you are depending on an inhaler and/or a nebulizer to help you breathe.
Even if it is just vegetative debris, anyone who has a fireplace knows that you can’t burn just any old wood. Even if it is just vegetative debris, you have no idea if there are any chemicals on that vegetation.
To BrattBrat – the reason some people are “crying out loud” is that they have or have had children with certain illnesses. I do not know you, if you have children or not and what the health of those children may be. Personally I have a child with asthma and I know how serious an attack can be, I would suggest you do some research on asthma and then maybe you will see what a serious issue this is for the parents and loved ones of these children. Also just because someone says that it is vegetative debris does not mean I am going to believe it, especially if the person telling me that works for the company that owns the landfill.
@BrattBrat,
I agree. Burning limbs and stumps is far from being “toxic”. These are the same people that complain when the forestry dept conducts controlled burns.
sometimes I wonder if people even read the article before commenting; the article states that there is only limbs, brush, etc burning underground and that it spontaneously combusted
it was not an intentional fire, but the explanation does sound suspect
For crying out loud people! Health Department? EPA? School Board? Lawsuit? It’s Vegetative Debris! It’s the same stuff you burn in your fireplace! It’s leaves and limbs you burn in your yard! It doesn’t sound like the next BP disaster to me!
Only 15 responses to this article, what a shame that no one cares enough about this to even write a few lines. Apathy and apparently the fear of “not wanting to cause any trouble for the business” is a sad thing indeed. We have all been told that Escambia County has the worst air quality in the State of Florida and now most of our citizens and county leaders remain mute on the health and welfare of our most precious resources (our children). but like LOPKI i am aware that when kids are in school they are legally in the care and custody of the school. So, when the lawyers come out of the woodwork I will be the first one to say that I am glad they will be paid with my hard earned tax money. Shame on anyone who does not care enough to try to help put an end to the moneygrubbers and politicians that allowed this tragedy (fire & land fill) to happen.
I wish someone in the media would investigate what all goes on at this landfill. I would hope that the activities are governed/overseen/monitored by the county or state in some way.
For many months, this landfill has given off a strong odor…especially at night. It’s definately an “organic” type of smell, but can be very strong…and I live over a mile away.
I wonder if vegetation debris is being ground there, or is ground up debris being delivered there?
Not wanting to cause trouble for the business, but just want the owners to remember there are hundreds who live, work, play, go to school around this pit. Any wonder that the new subdivision on Cove adjacent to the landfill is having trouble selling houses.
My nephew goes to school there. The school board should move these children until this situation is under control. Use our tax dollars for a good cause for once. Malcolm Thomas get on the ball.
1. Who is the brainchild of placing this toxic mess near an elementary school?
What about the children with asthma and other health issues? I have a child with asthma and I would expect the school to excuse her absence until the situation is under control. I assume that the school board and health department are aware that a lawsuit could be filed for not keeping children safe, by continuing to allow these children to take classes in a toxic environment. Air conditioners and fans being turned on in January does not sound like a good idea to me, not only will these children be breathing in smoke but they will be cold on top of that. Mr. Thomas I voted for you because I believed you were a good man for the job and numerous people also told me that was true. So do the right thing and take these kids out this toxic environment. Prove to us you are a man that cares about how safe are kids at school.
Has the fire marshal been called to investigate this situation, what about the EPA? Maybe the health department needs to re-evaluate this situation and think about how this will effect small children.
my question is if health officals say it is bad to expose people to second hand cigarette smoke why is it ok to have a dump burning near the school exposing the children to toxic smoke what will be the long term effects to this exposure
to northender i live in the north end of the county and i am tired of being DUMPED on
This what happens when you don’t cover the debris each week. It will burn underground for a long time, one little crack in the cover material will give it enough oxygen to keep burning . As the soil drys out it will crack.
@ old man what you do not understand is we at the north end have been dumped on for many years. We choose to live in the north end and you choose to live where ever you are so do not send your stinky dump up here .Keep it in Pensacola. But move the innocent children away from the area
Years ago the Landfill Off of 87 cought fire, It will burn for a week or 2 until it finally goes out.. Theres different things that make it go up in flames,Even if they put dirt on top of it everyday…I think saw dust and older limbs was the blame in the landfill up there..
With all the precautions that are supposed to be taken – Why in the world are the kids still in that school. My grandson attends Pine Meadow and I am worried about him both now and what the long term effects of exposure to this might be. Also, I wonder is this land fill is owned by Escambia County or is it one of those “fly by night” companies like they had over off Mobile Highway.I would encourage Mr. Malcolm Thomas to re-locate Pine Meadow students to a safer environment until this fire is under control.
If people in the area are urged not to even vacuum their floors because it will stir up the particles, how safe can it be for the school children?
I wonder if someone could look into what actually goes on in this landfill, as to why it smells so strong…especially at night…and I’m not referring to the smoke.
This smell has been noticible for months. Just ask anyone who lives within a mile of the place.
The smell is “organic” in nature…but can be quite strong. Amazed this can go on next door to an elementary school and amongst hundreds of homes.
They should have took it somewhere and burned it in the first place, instead of trying bury it.
@ old man,
Sorry but you live in the center of the county where you aren’t sure what stinks!
this is what they are moving to the north end of the county why not we have old stinky and the paper mill why not put a dump up here look around and see if there is anything else you can DUMP on the north end