60% control of the fire in the hill Patacón landfill

Firefighters have managed to control by 60% the fire recorded in the hill Patacón landfill, reports La Prensa.

This was reported by the authorities at a press conference around noon on Friday, January 19, following a high-level meeting chaired by President Laurentino Cortizo.

The director of the Fire Corps, Ernesto De León, said that it is expected that by tomorrow Saturday 90% will be controlled.

Firefighters, supported by other security entities, attacked the main hotspots, with particular attention to the tire depot.

De León explained that the first thing they did was apply the confinement technique. "The important thing is that the two hotspots are controlled, which means it's not going to expand," he added.

The shallow flames have been controlled and are now focused on shutting down the ones below. For this, the burnt sectors are covering with land.

For his part, the national director of Aeronavales Operations of the Senan, Rafael Jurado, said that from 6:00 in the morning today the work began with 23 discharges of the Bambi Bucket system, which totaled 7,000 360 gallons of water.

These work support members of the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproco), the National Aqueduct and Sewerage Institute (Idaa), the National Police, the National Aeronaval Service (Senan) and the Urban and Home Assile Sanitation Authority.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre, said that since Thursday staff from the Kuna Nega Health Center were activated to care for those affected by the fire. He reported that this Friday they were activated in the health centers of Calidonia, Curundú and El Chorrillo in which they attended cases of visual irritation and respiratory discomfort.

President Cortizo chaired the interinstitutional meeting to assess the damage following the fire at the Mount Patacón landfill.

The meeting was held at the National Centre for Security and Emergency Operations (C5), with the presence of several ministers from States.

Panama City dawned this Friday covered in a toxic cloud due to a large fire that started yesterday afternoon on Cerro Patacón, the capital's main garbage dump.