A bin fire at Clarendon’s McGrimmon Cartage landfill over the holidays has offered an important lesson on proper disposal of fire hazards at the dump.
Shortly after noon on Dec. 27, dump employee Ethan Hartman called 9-1-1 when he saw a yard worker pull a flaming garbage bag out of a garbage bin, only to realize the contents of the bin were also on fire.
The Shawville-Clarendon Fire Department was quick to respond to the call and extinguish the fire.
Fire Chief Lee Laframboise said the fire, which was caused by the disposal of hot ash in a large metal bin, could have been much worse had the relatively empty bin had more garbage in it.
“People take the ashes out of their wood stove and think if they sit for a day, they’re good. I’ve seen ashes a week old, and you stir them up and there are still hot coals,” Laframboise said.
“They shouldn’t take ashes to the dump, period. Just in case, bury it in the ground or use it in gardens instead.”
Hartman said there’s a place for ash to be disposed of, however it can’t be hot. He recommends cooling the ash in a metal bin and putting some water on it to ensure no embers remain.
“It was just a fluke,” Hartman said. “Someone just should have asked. That’s my biggest thing, if you don’t know where something goes, come and ask.”
