Ephrata landfill garbage pit burns

EPHRATA - Grant County Fire District 13 responded to a rubbish fire at the Ephrata Landfill Wednesday night and again Thursday when the fire reignited.

Crews spent about three hours dousing a fire in one of the pits, according to firefighter Nathan McDonnell. Bulldozers pushed the smouldering trash into an isolated area and fire crews put fire suppression foam on it. Early Thursday morning the fire reignited and fire crews responded again, said landfill operations foreman Travis Langley.

Exactly what caused the blaze is unknown but "usually someone threw something hot in their can and it gets mixed in," McDonnell said.

"I can't explain exactly what happened because it was after we were closed," Langley said, adding the trash comes in large trucks containing a wide variety of materials, including some which could be hot or combustible.

"Landfill fires are unfortunately a pretty regular occurrence," he said. "Usually everything is pretty damp, but you have mattresses and other things in there that can smolder."

The fire did not damage any structures or equipment.

Langley said the mattresses are always stored away from the trash piles.