
Indian firefighters battle Delhi landfill blaze as air fills with toxic fumes
CNN
Firefighters in India's capital said Wednesday they are close to extinguishing a fire at a landfill site that has been burning for nearly two days, cloaking the area in a toxic haze and choking residents.
The blaze broke out Monday at the Ghazipur landfill east of New Delhi, according to the city's fire services director, Atul Garg. The cause has not been established, but fires can be triggered by combustible gases from disintegrating garbage, he added. Temperatures in Delhi rose to nearly 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) the day the fire broke out.
While the blaze has largely been put out, two firefighters remain on site to contain small flames and heavy smoke, Garg said. Police have opened an investigation into the cause of the fire, he added.