Atmosphere clears in area of repeat fires

The atmosphere around the waste centre in Pentacomo had cleared on Sunday, community leader of nearby Kalavasos Lefteris Foka said after a large fire in the area on Friday.

“Today the atmosphere in our area is cleaner after the serious problems that were caused by the smoke from the fire that broke out on July 15 in rubbish and waste products in the Pentacomo waste centre,” he said.

He said concerns expressed by the community for months were shown to be valid after three fires have broken out in the last six weeks. The fires, burning waste materials broke out on May 9, June 12 and July 15, “and we are wondering what what the authorities do in such cases but also what they should do”.He said despite saying they would examine the issue and make efforts that it doesn’t happen again, the three fires have broken out one after the other.

“The latest fire was the worst as two day later residents are still suffering with the fumes,” Foka said, and for this reason the labour inspection department called on residents to stay inside their homes.

After the previous fire, he said, residents of the nine communities around Vasilikos decided to report the government to the European Union. “At the same time, we want the president of the Republic to visit the site to see for himself and to stop licencing other industries in the area”.

He repeated the call of the nine communities on Saturday for the resignation of Agriculture Minister Costas Kadis, who he said has not managed to find solutions to the problems in the area.