Landfill fire damages lungs of garbage chief

The head of Panama’s garbage authority (AAUD) Enrique Fernandez Ho will need four months of clinical treatment for inflamed lungs caused by smoke from the burning garbage dump at Cerro Patacon.

Meanwhile, On Holy Saturday, March 30, staff from the AAUD continued work alongside staff from the Urbalia company which manages the site, to extinguish the fire that began March 19.
According to Ho , there were 40 vents emitting smoke and they are now working on two remaining large and some smaller vents. The landfill operations consist of placing layers of soil in hot spots that are still casting a slight amount of smoke and in some cases hey have had to throw open the vents and add special foam and clay.
Ho said that more than 6,900 gallons of foam brought from the United States have been used for 12 days of continuous operation to control the fire.