Serious health impacts from garbage dump site fire

SAMUT PRAKAN, THAILAND, March 18 (TNA) - A fire, breaking out at a large-scale garbage dump site in Bangkok's adjacent Samut Prakan Province on Sunday, has not yet been totally put out, resulting in billowing smoke and unpleasant smells expanding to affect nearby areas. The Royal Irrigation Department has deployed its amphibious vehicles to help press down piles of garbage at the about 100-rai dump site (2.5 rai=1 acre) in the Praekasa locality of Samut Prakan's Muang District so that fire fighters can direct jets of water farther inside the site. Winds which change the directions of the smoke and smells have, however, helped ease impacts in six affected area in Bangkok and there has not, thus, been any seriously-ill patient from the pollution. Wantanee Wattana, Director of the Health Department under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), on Tuesday identified the six affected Bangkok districts as Bangna, Prawet, Phra Khanong, Klong Sam Wa, Lat Krabang and Bung Kum, telling reporters that the smells and smoke have been relieving and visibility on streets has been returning to normal, except some sections of the Bangna-Trat Highway. The Ministry of Public Health reported, meanwhile, that apart from nose, eye and throat irritation cases, there have been no serious health patients from the toxic smoke and smells so far. Dr Preecha Prempree, Director of the ministry's Bureau of Occupational and Environmental Diseases, acknowledged that there was less smoke from the dump site fire on Monday morning, insisting, nonetheless, that the ministry will keep monitoring all affected areas closely, while advising people in the areas to wear face masks to protect themselves from the toxic smoke and smells, after about 100 people have been evacuated from the affected areas. The Poison Control Center of Siriraj Hospital warned that hazardous smoke and gases from the garbage dump site fire include sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, urging people in the affected areas to wear N95 face masks and not to use local water at the moment, as it can be contaminated, saying that the smog is expected to disappear within two weeks. The center, however, called for long-term tests for the contamination of heavy metal, cautioning that garbage collectors can also be dangerously exposed to carcinogenic sulfur dioxide.(TNA)