The feared has finally happened; what was anticipated and warned against has occurred. The trash mountain in Tripoli, located on the road to the quarantine area, caught fire after the trash at the landfill reached a point that came to be referred to as the trash mountain. The fire led to the release of foul odors that spread throughout the city of Tripoli and its suburbs, with smoke visible from distant areas in Akkar.
This trash mountain has long been a point of controversy and objection among activists in Tripoli, who have demanded a solution to relieve the city and its residents from disasters and health hazards every time the unpleasant odors arise from it. The fire at the trash mountain prompted security forces, particularly the army and internal security forces, to spring into action; the army cut off the coastal road at the quarantine area due to the dense smoke emanating from the blaze. Communication occurred between the Minister of Interior and Municipalities Bassam Mawlawi and Army Commander General Joseph Aoun to dispatch military helicopters to assist in extinguishing the fire.
Firefighting teams and civil defense were also mobilized, and the army brought in two military helicopters to help extinguish the fire, which was brought under control by the early evening hours. The fire created a panic among Tripoli residents after rumors spread about the potential explosion of the landfill due to the gases buried underground, similar to what happened in the Beirut port explosion, which threatened the entire seafront of Tripoli with all its buildings.
However, environmental experts communicated with citizens via social media and WhatsApp groups to reassure them and confirm that there was no release of dangerous gases and that there was no need to panic. The fire at the trash mountain has added more fears to the anxious city. What should Tripoli fear? The lack of security? The loose weapons? Or the ongoing problems and crises?
Though the fire has been extinguished, the concern remains that it could reignite at any moment. The greater fear is the trash mountain itself, which needs a solution and treatment, and a definitive halt to dumping there, especially since illegal dumping continues. There is a real need in the city of Tripoli for a modern sorting plant and a sanitary landfill to scientifically and definitively address the city's waste crisis.
