A fire occurred at the Solid Waste Facility on 201 Yellowknife Access Rd yesterday. The cause of the fire is suspected to be related to the “improper disposal of household hazardous waste.”
“City Public Works personnel, with support from the Yellowknife Fire Division, responded quickly and successfully extinguished the fire,” said the city in their media release today.
The city said that no injuries were reported and no damage occurred as a result of the fire.
In the meantime, the city reminded residents to be mindful when disposing of electronic materials and hazardous waste.
“We strongly remind all residents that electronics and other hazardous materials must be properly sorted, separated from household waste, and disposed of through the appropriate channels,” said city staff.”
The city emphasized that fire safety is a major priority for the community, especially as wildfire season approaches.
“While the situation is under control, the City emphasizes that during wildfire season, incidents like this could present a much greater threat to public safety and the environment. We strongly remind all residents that electronics and other hazardous materials must be properly sorted, separated from household waste, and disposed of through the appropriate channels.”
The city warned that the disposal of household hazardous waste in garbage bins can pose serious risks to the Solid Waste Facility (SWF) and the wider Yellowknife community.
“Damaged or compressed electronics can become flammable and may spark during waste compaction in City garbage trucks or at the SWF. These sparks can lead to fires, which may spread quickly and result in air quality concerns for residents,” said city staff.
City staff urge any residents who are unsure of whether a material is considered hazardous waste to visit the Household Hazardous Waste page on their website.
