A fire has broken out at the Grahamstown Dump on Friday 16 August, sending toxic smoke drifting eastwards towards Grahamstown.
A fire has broken out at the Grahamstown Dump on Friday 16 August, sending toxic smoke drifting eastwards towards Grahamstown.
Adrienne Plasket of the Grahamstown Equestrian Centre fears flames might reach the stables.
“Can you imagine, we’ve got dry sawdust, dry bales of hay,” Plasket said.
There had been “not a drop of water” at the centre for the past 14 days, she said, which would make any attempt at fire-fighting difficult if not impossible.
Smoke is billowing across the paddocks and stalls of the centre, putting the health of staff and horses at risk. The stables are insured for damage, but some of the horses are uninsured. Veterinary expenses resulting from situations like this are “astronomical” said Plasket.
The centre currently stables around 40 horses. The animals are exposed to a “constant pall of smoke.”
Plasket said two-and-a-half years ago the centre had to extinguish fires which started at the dump and she feared a repeat.
“Within the next day or two, we’ll definitely get a [health]reaction,” she said.
Plasket said horses suffer from colic when exposed to toxic fumes. If left untreated colic can cause death.
She said the smoke also stresses the horses.
