AMAZONAS, BRAZIL — A fire at an illegal waste disposal site in Industrial District 2, in eastern Manaus, remained active on Wednesday morning (7), more than 18 hours after it started. According to the Fire Department, the flames affected more than 15,000 square meters and remain contained, with no risk of spreading.

The fire started at around 3 p.m. on Tuesday (6), on a site along Avenida dos Oitis. The large amount of waste made it difficult to fully extinguish the fire, and firefighting efforts may last between 24 and 48 hours.

More than 150,000 liters of water had been used by Wednesday morning. Fire brigades and companies in the area are also supporting the operation with water trucks.

Smoke affected air quality in different areas of Manaus. Data from the Electronic Environmental Monitoring System (Selva), operated by the Amazonas State University (UEA), showed moderate to poor conditions at monitored locations at 6:20 a.m. In the Nossa Senhora das Graças area, the concentration of particulate matter reached 74.3 micrograms per cubic meter.

Employees at nearby companies were instructed to temporarily leave their workplaces because of the smoke and heat. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and inspection agencies were called in to investigate the conditions at the site.

Amazon Agency