Dumping ground blaze in Noida’s Sector 145 smoulders for third day

The blaze started at the garbage dumping ground, which is located in Sector 145, near Mubarakpur village and teams have been working round-the-clock since then

Noida:A fire that broke out at the Noida Sector 145 dumping ground on Monday evening continued to smoulder for the third day on Wednesday, with firefighters struggling to contain flames spreading across the garbage heap, officials said.

“Around 30 firefighters, 10 fire engines and cranes have also been deployed to douse the fire. The Noida authority is also providing water tankers to control it,” said Yogendra Chaurasiya, fire officer of the Phase 2. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The blaze started at the garbage dumping ground, which is located in Sector 145, near Mubarakpur village and teams have been working round-the-clock since then, they added.

“Around 30 firefighters, 10 fire engines and cranes have also been deployed to douse the fire. The Noida authority is also providing water tankers to control it,” said Yogendra Chaurasiya, fire officer of the Phase 2.

Officials said that the fire is difficult to control as it keeps spreading through the heap of garbage. “Thick smoke and foul smell makes it hard to work here. We are using face masks and other safety equipment. Due to extreme heat, some firefighters have developed blisters on their feet,” said a fire officer, requesting anonymity.

Fire officials said they were informed about the incident on Monday and are yet to ascertain the cause of the blaze.

Kranti Shekhar Singh, officer on special duty of the Noida authority said, “The issue will be addressed. The plan for waste remediation and site cleaning is underway.”

The dumping ground, spread across 8,000 square metres, holds around 700,000 tonnes of garbage and is the largest such site in Noida, and owned by the Noida authority.

In December, the authority said that the remediation of the dumping ground from Sector 145 to Astoli Village, covering 123 acres, would commence in January 2026, with waste shifting expected to take over a year, officials added.

The garbage has been piling up at a vacant plot in Sector 145 since 2018 on a temporary basis. Noida produces 900 to 1,000 tonnes per day (TPD) of municipal waste, which is expected to rise to 1,500 TPD, according to officials.

Meanwhile, residents living near the dumping ground expressed growing concern over the prolonged fire, citing severe air pollution and health risks.

Akash Gupta, a resident of Sector 145, said, “Dumping ground waste was already an issue for us. But now this smouldering fire is multiplying our problems. This dumping ground should be shifted to Astoli village, so that we can breathe a clean air.”