Taipei warns residents as landfill fire smoke drifts across districts

Taipei, Feb. 19 (CNA) Smoke from a fire at Shanzhuku Landfill spread across parts of Taipei and New Taipei early Thursday, with the Taipei City government warning residents in several districts to keep windows closed and wear masks when going outside.

In a statement, the city government said its Fire Department was notified at 5:19 a.m. of the fire at the landfill in Nangang District and immediately dispatched personnel to the scene, extinguishing the blaze at 8:28 a.m. No injuries were reported.

Excavators were dispatched to turn the waste piles while firefighters doused the site with water, preventing the fire from spreading further, it said, noting that smoke is expected to continue drifting across the area.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Regarding areas that could be affected by the smoke, the city government said the Department of Environmental Protection used forecasting models to predict the direction and spread of the smoke, estimating it could reach Wenshan and Nangang districts in Taipei, as well as Xindian, Shenkeng, and Zhonghe districts in New Taipei.

Air quality at the Nangang monitoring station is currently at a moderate level, and the department said it will continue to monitor conditions.

The city government reminded nearby residents to stay indoors and keep their windows closed, or to wear masks if going outside. With the Lunar New Year holiday and improving weather drawing more visitors to the area, the city government advised people not to panic if they notice unusual smoke or odors and to wear masks if necessary.