Firefighters battle large waste pile fire in Rusk, Tampere

Firefighters are actively battling a large fire at a waste pile inside a storage facility in Rusk, Tampere. Support is being provided by equipment from Finavia. The blaze has generated significant smoke, prompting health warnings in the area. Residents are advised to remain indoors and close off ventilation systems due to the hazardous smoke in the air.

The wind direction has been favorable, which has prevented the need for evacuations near the waste treatment facility. A visible plume of smoke has stretched as far as downtown Tampere, approximately ten kilometers away from the fire site.

Currently, over 20 firefighting units are on the scene, working to contain the fire. Efforts to extinguish the blaze are being hampered by the necessity to continuously dismantle the large waste pile while fighting the fire. Panu Routasalo, the CEO of the waste management company Remeo, acknowledged that the facility had stored an excessive amount of waste.

The demand for water has been substantial, with supplies sourced from a nearby swimming area at Lake Ahvenisjärvi. Finavia has also provided assistance by supplying a foam cannon to aid the firefighting efforts. Previously, the Satakunta Air Command had offered further assistance.

Fire officials have estimated that it may take several days to fully extinguish the fire at the waste pile.