Indonesia fire burns 15 hectares of landfill, still rages
A firefighter tries to extinguish a fire at a landfill in the Sarimukti waste collection area in West Bandung regency, West Java province, Indonesia. - Antara Foto/Raisan Al Farisi/via REUTERS
JAKARTA: A fire that burned about 15 hectares (37.07 acres) of an Indonesian landfill last weekend in the country's most populous province was still raging on Thursday, as the local government declared a state of emergency.
West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil has said the fire was ignited by a cigarette that was thrown on the ground, though he didn't provide details.
Flames still engulfed the Sarimukti landfill in the West Bandung region in the West Java province on Thursday, choking nearby residents, news channel Kompas TV reported.
Hengky Kurniawan, West Bandung chief, said on Instagram water bombs were needed to douse the flames, and declared a state of emergency in the area.
The state of emergency will prompt the country's disaster mitigation agency to help as local authorities lack sufficient tools to bring the blaze under control, West Java government said.
The 25-hectare landfill is a waste hub for its surrounding cities and areas, including Bandung, one of Indonesia's most populous cities.
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