NSWMA presses round-the-clock effort as Myersville dump fire stalls under heavy wind

The National Solid Waste Management Authority says it will keep working around the clock until a fire at the Myersville disposal facility in St. Elizabeth is fully under control, even as nearby residents contend with lingering smoke.

The blaze was first reported on Friday afternoon, the 17th. Under NSWMA fire protocols, any detected fire — no matter how small — triggers an alert chain from the landfill supervisor to the manager and then the director. The fire service was contacted at once, but conditions soon made the response far more hazardous than a routine call-out.

Officials said high wind speeds proved the main obstacle. Gusts were so fierce that brigade personnel had to withdraw. With visibility near zero and dense smoke filling the air, crews stood down rather than risk becoming trapped where they could see nothing. Safety, they said, was not compatible with pushing into those conditions.

The same strong winds held through Saturday and Sunday, leaving responders unable to advance. Only when conditions eased were teams able to enter the site and begin active work.

For communities close to the facility, the wait has been costly. Residents have shut windows and doors and covered their faces against drifting smoke, while complaints about air quality, possible health effects, and the fire burning through the weekend have grown louder.

NSWMA said cover material is now being moved toward the blaze so crews can prepare the ground and close in. Once that staging is ready, fire trucks will move in to press the main attack. The authority aims to finish containment within about 48 to 72 hours and has asked the public for patience while smoke continues to hang over the area.