The Directorate General of Emergencies and Interior has agreed to declare the severity index 2 of the Territorial Civil Protection Plan of the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands (PLATERBAL), as well as to request material resources and personnel from the Spanish Government to extinguish the fire at the biomass traffic station EI-600 number 43 in Sant Antoni de Portmany (Ibiza).
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The fire at the biomass station in Eivissa
This was agreed upon this Monday by the Management Department of the Operational Coordination Centre of PLATERBAL, meeting at the base of the Operational Unit of the Directorate General of Emergencies and Interior in Sa Coma. The meeting, chaired by the acting minister of the Presidency, Public Function and Equality and director of PLATERBAL, Mercedes Garrido, was also attended by the president of the Consell de Eivissa, Vicent Marí, and the mayor of Sant Antoni de Portmany, Marcos Serra. During the meeting of the Coordination Centre it was also decided to carry out an analysis and monitoring of air quality.
On 11 June, a fire broke out at a plant biomass storage and transfer point located on the San Antonio road (near the Montecristo industrial estate), operated by a private manager.
On 11 June, at 8.20 p.m., the Fire and Rescue Service of the Island Council of Eivissa (SEIS) was activated and has acted almost continuously to date. The emergency service, coordinated by the Directorate General for Emergencies and the Interior, is made up of members of different emergency bodies (firefighters from the Island Council of Eivissa, the Department of the Environment – IBANAT, environmental agents from both the Government and the Island Council of Eivissa, civil protection volunteers from San Antonio and Santa Eulalia, TRAGSA, Grupo Juan Bufí for the water supply, and the security forces and bodies). A total of 70 people and 8 engines are working on the extension of the fire.
Given the accumulation of combustible material at the site of the fire (plant debris), it was considered necessary to remove it in an orderly manner to allow it to be extinguished. However, it has not been possible to extinguish the fire due to the delay in removing the accumulated plant debris.
On 22 June, PLATEBAL was declared activated at level 1. On 23 June, the public company TRAGSA joined in the work, providing the necessary machinery, which has been incorporated into the system as it has become available, as well as specific personnel for the tasks entrusted to them.
The action plan consists of the following actions:
- To limit the spread of the fire in the composting plant as much as possible both by direct intervention and by physical actions of separation and movement of any elements at risk.
- Protect nearby unaffected elements with the necessary means.
- Ensure the availability of the necessary machinery for the movement of the soil and the rest of the unaffected stored material.
- Consolidate the bearing capacity of the soil for the use of heavy machinery and lorries.
- Have fire-fighting lines and equipment available at all points of work with machinery and, if the situation arises, apply water to cool and extinguish the outbreak.
- Ensure all operational activities with the necessary logistical resources.