Toxic fumes affect over 6,000 people in Chetumal

CHETUMAL, QUINTANA ROO (Times Media Mexico) .-An open-air garbage dump has been burning for a week and nearly six thousand people living in the surrounding neighborhoods are already suffering the effects of the smoke.

Firefighters reported that there is still smoke coming out of the bottom of the dump, which is dispersed by the wind towards the Las Américas housing development in the state capital.

Children and elderly people, are the ones suffering more from the effects of the toxic fumes, presenting pulmonary damage, including cough, flu like symptoms and nasal secretion.

Luis Ventura Nah, director of the Othón P. Blanco City Hall Fire Department, reported that smoke is still coming out of the back of the dump.

There is flammable material at the bottom of the garbage mountain, where leachate and all kinds of toxic contaminants can be found.

The firefighting has been supported by water pipes from the Mexican Ministry of the Navy (Semar) and the Water and Sewerage Commission.

However, what is still burning at the bottom of that huge garbage pile, has yet to be totally extinguished.

So far, the municipal authorities have failed to resolve the problem of the open-air dump in Chetumal, and are not complying with the environmental and judicial authorities’ orders to clean it up.