IAF helicopter engaged in fire-fighting at garbage yard

A helicopter of the Indian Air Force is putting out a devastating fire that broke out in a garbage dumping yard near here, sources in the IAF said Monday.

The blaze occurred Sunday evening, and went out of control in spite of over 20 fire-tenders trying to douse the flames.

So, the district administration sought the service of the Mi017 V5 helicopter for aerial spraying of water which is underway with the use of Bambi buckets, the sources said.

The Bambi bucket carried by helicopter can carry a maximum of 3,500 litres of water at a time which can be replenished with water from any water body with a depth of just two metres.

The aerial firefighting operation by the IAF is being carried out in close coordination with the local authorities, including the police, they said.

Meanwhile, nearly 30 fire-tenders are on the job to extinguish the fire, sources in the city Corporation said.

The area was totally enveloped in thick smoke emanating from the yard, as the garbage in nearly 15 acres of the yard was burning along with the solid waste.

A few residents alleged that the Corporation authorities for deliberately causing the fire as they could not remove the garbage piling up on a daily basis in the yard.