Minister Weeks: Post Pembroke Fire Updates

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to provide Members of this Honourable House and the people of Bermuda with an update on the recent fire at the Marsh Folly Composting Facility.

Although this fire was quite the challenge with respect to containing from the outset, I was extremely proud as the lead Minister for the way in which my Public Works team, along with other first responders such as the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service, the Bermuda Police Service and the Bermuda Regiment, coordinated their efforts to contain the fire…contain the traffic….and contain the spectators that lined the streets along Palmetto Road.

Mr. Speaker, I will confess that I was quite emotional on the night as I can recall firsthand feeling the intense the heat emitting from the blaze…..I saw firsthand how the fireman were battling to bring the blaze under control in spite of the high winds for which I am told reached 40 knots….I can recall the police officers effectively ensuring that no unauthorized persons were permitted on the premises while the fire raged on…..and I can recall seeing my team working feverishly to move equipment out of harm’s way so normalcy could be restored as soon as the fire was contained.
These memories will forever be with me!

Mr. Speaker, I would now like to provide some facts regarding the event so my Honourable Colleagues and those listening by way of radio can appreciate the talented individuals we have on this island and how the public and private sectors rallied together to make good our efforts to bring about a speedy end to the blaze.

Mr. Speaker, you may recall that the fire broke out around 8:00pm on Friday March 30th. Throughout the evening I made every effort to keep the general public updated by holding press conferences with any media that braved the elements on the night. It was at Victor Scott School around 10:00pm that my Permanent Secretary along with the Fire Chief conducted the first live interview.

It was at Victor Scott School where large pockets of smoke blanketed the area to the point where I had to cover my face to avoid inhaling vast quantities of smoke.

Shortly after this first interview, the Fire Chief, having all confidence that the fire was being contained, agreed to permit the media nearer to the blaze so they would have a greater appreciation of what it was the emergency services actually does. On that note Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the media for keeping the Bermuda public informed in such a timely manner. Videos of the fire were streaming around the world thanks to modern technology.

Mr. Speaker, within 12 hours the blaze was well under control and as of 5pm on Saturday March 31st, the fire was out. The Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service personnel left the site on the same day but agreed to leave their pump to supply water as a safety precaution in case any hot spots remained. With regard to the investigation into the cause of the fire, I am made to understand that the investigation is still ongoing. However, I will defer to my Honourable Colleague responsible for the Fire Service who may wish to speak further.

I would like to acknowledge the Bermuda Water Truckers Association who rallied their members to the cause. On the night of the fire, water trucks lined the Marsh Folly site near the fire all the way out to Palmetto Road.

Mr. Speaker, we regard to incidents, I can report that less than ten people were seen in the Emergency room of the King Edward Memorial Hospital for smoke related issues….some of whom already had pre-existing respiratory conditions.

Mr. Speaker, immediately after the fire our Ministry has been working with the Ministry of Health and in particular, the Environmental Health Section. Environmental Health has been conducting random water testing in the affected regions with individual tank water assessments underway.

Residents that have damage claims are asked to submit them to the Ministry HQs located on the 3rd floor of the Government Post Office Building. As of Wednesday, we can report there were 23 claims submitted for our consideration. These claims are now being assessed with the government insurers before the Ministry can act on them.

Mr. Speaker, since the aftermath of the fire, I have received numerous calls regarding what my Ministry will do to mitigate future fires. To that I would like to advise:

1) The Management team at the Marsh Folly Composting Site will be erecting additional signage to enforce the no smoking policy – which is intended to increase safety of the site.

2) A large water tank will also be installed to enable workers to spray the composting piles to minimize the risk of fires.

3) The Fire Service has consulted with the Marsh Folly team and recommended improved methods for stockpiling the composted material.

4) The horticultural waste that is shredded, will be sprayed with water to ensure each layer is adequately cooled.

5) At the end of each day, the entire pile will be sprayed one last time to ensure there are no hot spots that could lead to a fire.

6) The Ministry has been and will continue to meet with the various groups concerning proposals to turn the waste collected at the site into energy.

7) The compost produced at the site will continue to be offered free of charge for use in landscaping to members of the public.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my thanks again to all those who responded to this emergency with such professionalism including the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service, the Bermuda Police Service, Emergency Services, Public Works Staff, Bermuda Regiment, Water truckers, teachers, parents and students who had to manage schools closure on such short notice as well as Cedarbridge Academy and the Berkeley Institute for their assistance in providing shelters.

Once again I would like to thank the media for getting the word out on the latest advisories and updates and residents of the area who have been dealing with smoke from Marsh Folly for decades. So it is time we look to extinguish the fires of Pembroke for good. My pledge as Minister responsible is that we will take action to ensure Marsh Folly is no longer forgotten and ignored but that real plans are put in place to convert the site to a public amenity sometime in the future.

Mr. Speaker, as I conclude I would like to say that it is often in times of crisis that the community comes together – which is what the Premier hopes, will become a daily part of our lives so that we may build one another, together.

Thank you Mr. Speaker!

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