First a blackout, the second this year, then a massive fire.
We’ve had some excitement the last few days.
But I am developing a defeatist mood, things happen, we pick ourselves up, brushed off the dust, and carry on as if nothing happened.
The fire at Daltra was a crime against our environment, but then in terms of damage, it turned out under control, leaving just a huge pile of melted metal behind, and Daltra has the equipment to handle that.
From what I gathered they had a big number of condemned cars on the premises and discarded tires, and those caught fire and smoked to high heaven.
The local tire dealer import used tires from Europe by shipping containers, and what they can’t use, refurbish and sell, they dump.
Without paying a disposal fee.
Those were the ones on fire yesterday.
At ATCO they feared for the building and evacuated with the servers. Good thinking, the building can be replaced but their business will go on as long as the technology is safe.
At ARUGAS I understand they were prepared to put their sprinkler system on, in case the heat reached their depo.
But we were lucky, the wind cooperated, then the rain last night washed the evidence away.
How did the scrapyard at Daltra catch fire??
They are a recycling company.
What can we now say about their safety standards and precautions? That this was a calamity and that’s it’s not their fault?
When they receive discarded cars, they smash them together with fuel and oil and tires, and that is what burnt without the ability to mitigate the mess in case of fire.
The neighbors at Bucutiweg checked themselves into hotels when evacuated. The less affluent neighbors at Simeon Antonio, and Cas Paloma — where did they go?
One of my friends argued they should have contained the fire and let it burn itself out so that all chemicals would be reduced to nothing in high temperatures. By dousing the flames, fire-fighters lower the temperatures and allow the chemicals to survive.
Putting out flames safely and correctly is a science.
By 9pm last night, neighbors were allowed back into their homes in the areas surrounding Barcadera. The air is safe said the Calamity Bureau.
How did he know that the air is safe? Did they take measurements? No, they don’t have the equipment.
But luck is on our side.
