MONORE COUNTY W.Va. (Hinton News) – A shredded tire pile used by the H.A.M. Sanitary Landfill in Monroe County caught fire on Friday, August 2, around 8 p.m. Throughout the firefighting efforts, which spanned four days, fire departments from multiple counties responded. The list included Monroe, Summers, Mercer and Giles counties. Additionally, according to the Monroe County Commission, “Upon the commencement of the fire, the Federal Environmental Protection Agency and Homeland Security were promptly notified. They promptly dispatched a mobile command center to the landfill.” That mobile unit continuously monitored the air quality.
A group of firefighters from Summers County were among those on the frontlines of fighting the fire. The group, from Talcott Volunteer Fire Department, estimated that their truck “Pickles” pumped in the vicinity of 600,000 gallons of water.
In an official statement, the Monroe County Commission noted that they wanted to clear up some rumors that had been circulating regarding the fire. They said, “The Commission would also like to clarify any rumors circulating about this current situation and any past incidents. Firstly, no taxpayer dollars will be utilized for this ongoing situation. All costs incurred, including those for volunteer fire departments, will be solely covered by the owner’s insurance company. Secondly, the only revenue generated from the landfill is for personal property and real estate taxes which are relatively minimal. Of these taxes, 75% is allocated to the Board of Education. The Monroe County Solid Waste Authority also receives $0.50 a ton for their recycling efforts per the West Virginia State Code. Finally, an ordinance could not have prevented these types of situations. While ordinances can regulate certain activities, they cannot override state laws. In this instance, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) oversees the landfills and issues any necessary permits. Their regulations supersede any ordinance the Commission can enact.”
Firefighters were able to contain the fire quickly to stop its spread. They were able to completely clear the scene on Monday, August 5. At one point during the worst of the fire, “Governor Justice issued an order to utilize tankers owned by the West Virginia Department of Transportation to assist in the firefighting efforts,” according to the County Commission. Also, “A contracted company from the landfill’s owners [actively] engaged in the firefighting operation.” At the time of the statement’s release on August 5, the fire was 95% contained.
