Contact: Elaine Tricoli
Phone: (336) 373-2421

Firefighters Extinguish Early Morning Fire at Landfill

GREENSBORO, NC – (April 17, 2008) – At 5:30 am today, Greensboro firefighters responded to a compost fire at the White Street Landfill. Acting Landfill Manager Rob Rash said the fire was “95 percent out” by 9:30 am. The cause of the fire is unknown, although spontaneous combustion of compost materials is not unusual.

The fire was approximately 3,000 yards inside the landfill’s property line and about two miles from any residence.

Greensboro Fire Department Assistant Chief David Douglas said the fire was contained to the mulch pile. “It takes a lot of water to put it out,” he said, “But there is no environmental or health risk from it. If burning in the city limits wasn’t improper, we could have let it burn itself out.”

Rash said this fire was the first in his 12 years at the landfill.

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