NIBONG TEBAL, Aug  4 — The Penang Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) took nearly four hours to fully extinguish a landfill fire at the Pulau Burung Solid Waste Disposal Site here last night.

Its Fire and Rescue Operations Division assistant director John Sagun Francis said a team from the Nibong Tebal Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) was sent to the scene after receiving an emergency call at 8.14 pm.

The fire involved an area measuring 120 feet by 90 feet, with the operation commander conducting an initial assessment before directing firefighters to contain and extinguish the blaze, including building a fire break to prevent it from spreading.

“The operation was divided into two sectors, Sector A and Sector B, with both areas fully extinguished at midnight,” he said in a statement yesterday. 

John added that firefighters from the Batu Kawan and Bayan Baru Fire and Rescue Stations, together with members of the Voluntary Fire Brigades (PBS) from Valdor, Parit Buntar, Machang Bubok, Sungai Jawi, Nibong Tebal and Kuala Kurau, joined the operation. Two excavators from the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) also assisted the firefighting efforts.

The excavators helped firefighters turn over the solid waste more effectively, allowing them to carry out direct firefighting and build fire breaks to contain the blaze.

Firefighters continued with overhaul works after extinguishing the fire to ensure no remaining sources before ending the operation at 1.30 am. — Bernama