Firefighters work to extinguish Miaoli trash dump fire

Taipei, Oct. 11 (CNA) A fire broke out at a trash dump in Yuanli Township, Miaoli County, on Sunday afternoon, burning an area of about 4,000 square meters, local authorities said.

Firefighters were still working to extinguish the blaze as of press time, and no injuries had been reported, township chief Liu Yu-yu (劉育育) said.

The Miaoli County Fire Bureau said 13 fire trucks and 29 firefighters from Yuanli and neighboring townships were dispatched after the fire was reported at 2:21 p.m. The blaze originated within the dump, the bureau said.

The bureau said two drones, a disaster response robot and three excavators were at the scene to assist with firefighting efforts.

In a Facebook post, Liu said firefighting operations were ongoing and that she had notified the county's Environmental Protection Bureau to monitor air quality.

She urged residents in areas downwind of the site to keep their doors and windows closed and advised the public to stay away from the scene to avoid obstructing firefighters.