NGHỆ AN — A blaze at a waste dump in Ngọc Sơn Commune, Quỳnh Lưu District, left more than 30 residents hospitalised over the past two days due to smoke inhalation.

By Friday afternoon, the Nghệ An Fire Prevention and Control Police, local authorities and residents were still battling the flames, said Nguyễn Văn Chương, deputy chairman of the commune people’s committee.

The fire caused noxious fumes to spread quickly around the local area.

Smoke from the fire blanketed Village No 5 in Ngọc Sơn Commune, which is about 200m from the rubbish dump. Dozens of residents, mostly the elderly and children, had to undergo hospital treatment.

Hồ Văn Tuyến, a doctor from the Ngọc Sơn Commune Medical Station, said that all victims had difficulty breathing and low blood pressure after being exposed to the smoke.

By Friday, two of the victims were still receiving treatment.

One fire engine, 10 firemen, six water tanks and five pumps were dispatched to the scene.

Local residents said that the fire started on Monday night and gradually spread all over the five-hectare rubbish dump.

Dry weather and strong winds have hampered efforts to bring the blaze under control. Additionally, the height of the piles of rubbish, at around 2-3 metres, meant that firefighters faced difficulties accessing the site.

The rubbish dump was set up in 2011 with total investment of VNĐ13 billion (US$577,700) to collect rubbish from seven communes of Quỳnh Lưu District.

At present, the rubbish dump collects rubbish from 33 communes, causing overloading and serious environmental pollution.

Since the beginning of this year, the dump has suffered three fires, with the most recent being the largets. — VNS