UPDATE: Firefighters Still Battling 85-Foot-Tall Pile of Burning Trash

UPDATED at 7:15 p.m. Sunday DICKERSON, MD — A facility housing a gigantic pile of trash 85-feet tall and hundreds of feet long continued to burn Sunday night, four days after it first caught fire, according to Montgomery County emergency officials. Shifts of firefighters have remained at the site as they battle hot spots.

The fire at the trash pile at the county Resource Recovery Facility, 21204 Martinsburg Road in Dickerson, was reported about 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Flames from the trash pile spread to the tipping building on site, which is the area where trucks drive in to dump the waste and then drive out.

Although the fire is contained, it may take several more days before it is fully extinguished, county officials said Sunday. Until then, the fire may continue to generate smoke; residents in the area may see smoke for the next several days.

The fire will not affect the county's residential curbside trash pick-up, but commercial customers (including for multi-family properties) will temporarily be diverted to other facilities. The Shady Grove Processing and Transfer Station located on Shady Grove Road will continue to be available for resident use.

“Firefighters have worked around the clock since Thursday evening when they were first called to the scene,” said Pete Piringer, public information officer for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services. “Firefighters will continue working until the fire is out.”

Weather is forecasted to be favorable for the next 24 hours to keep smoke away from area homes.

Anyone near the facility who is experiencing asthma, chronic lung or heart conditions should minimize exposure by either staying indoors or avoiding the area; if you experience increased symptoms you should contact your health care provider.

Heavy equipment was brought in Thursday night to pull apart the trash pile so firefighters could get at the smoking remains.

Firefighters are using fire engines, fire department water tankers and large-capacity private tankers to contain the fire inside the building, he said Friday.

For more information, residents can visit the Division of Solid Waste Services website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/solidwaste, or call MC311 by calling 3-1-1 or 240-777-0311 from anywhere.

The MC311 website, www.mc311.com, is available to the public 24/7 for online service requests. MC 311 is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

»Photos of Resource Recovery Facility fire courtesy of Pete Piringer, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services