IAF helicopter deployed as Kovai dump yard fire rages for third day 50acres 125 acres 650 acres

A helicopter from Sulur Indian Air Force (IAF) Station was pressed into service to douse the fire raging for the third consecutive day at Vellalore dump yard here on Monday.

“Following a request from the State administration, an Mi-17 V5 helicopter from 109 Helicopter Unit (HU) based at Air Force Station in Sulur was pressed into firefighting operations,” said a statement from the Defence Wing of IAF.

After carrying out a reconnaissance to ascertain the scope and type of firefighting required, the helicopter lifted water from Kurichi lake using ‘bambi’ buckets to extinguish the fire at the dump yard.

“Bambi buckets can carry a maximum of 3,500 litre of water. It can be replenished with water from any water body having a depth of just two metre. The focus of the firefighting operation, carried out in coordination with local authorities, is to prevent the spread of fire and douse it completely,” added the statement.

The IAF helicopter performed 10 sorties and 28 fire fighting vehicles were also deployed to put off the fire. After the fire broke out on March 23 night, the fire service department in Coimbatore attempted in vain to douse the fire.

With heavy winds causing the fire to spread fast, 28 fire tenders were roped in from neighbouring Nilgiris, Tirupur, Salem, Erode and other western districts. In addition, 58 water tankers were also engaged to bring water for the firefighting operations.

More than 600 fire service personnel have been battling day in and out for the past three days to control the massive fire. Yet, the fire continued to spread intensively in the dump yard, where around 1,000 tonnes of garbage sourced from 100 wards of Corporation were dumped in an area of 125 acres.

The garbage dumped in nearly 50 acres has now been burnt to ashes over the last three days. People living in areas nearby dump yard suffered immensely due to the thick smoke emanating from the dump yard.

Corporation Commissioner cum special officer J Sravan Kumar said that the methane gas released from degradable compost is causing a fire due to blazing heat and is also spreading faster. “Efforts are being done on a war footing to control the fire. Pathways are created amidst the garbage dump for fire service vehicles to reach interior areas and spray water to control fire,” he said.

District Collector K Rajamani, DGP and Director of Fire and Rescue Services CK Gandhirajan and other officials monitored the operations.