Fire at Doral renewable energy plant still burning four days after it started
MIAMI -- Four days after a fire started and swept through a Miami-Dade County renewable energy plant in Doral, officials said Thursday that the blaze is continuing to burn.
Speaking during a news conference, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said the fire at the Covanta Energy plant, located at 6990 NW 97th Ave., was still burning in two structures at the site and there has been no substantial change in its status.
"We realize this is a concern and an inconvenience," she said. "We are wanting to extinguish this fire as quickly as possible."
Officials have said previously that four of 11 buildings at the Covanta site have been burned by the flames with two of them still on fire as of Thursday.
The fire broke out Sunday at the county-owned facility, prompting a response by over 100 county firefighters.
Officials have urged residents to stay indoors and wear masks if they have respiratory issues but they have not said the smoke is toxic.
The location handles about 40 percent of garbage from throughout Miami-Dade County and officials have said the fire will not impact trash collection for county residents.
The site, which burns more than 800,000 tons of garbage every year, turned 40 in 2022 and was due for a replacement, officials said..
During the news conference Thursday, fire officials said 100 firefighters remained on scene, conducting four near-simultaneous operations:
- Working to extinguish the fire.
- Demolishing part of the structures that were damaged during the blaze.
- Moving trash from a northern part of the site to prevent it from catching fire.
- Investigating the origins of the blaze.
Levine Cava said officials from the EPA are at the scene and are monitoring air quality.
She urged people who are experiencing respiratory issues to "take additional precautions" while outside.
