Navotas Sanitary Landfill fire contained; aerial support readied
By Trixee Rosel
Fire hits Navotas Sanitary Landfill on Friday night, April 10, 2026 (Photo courtesy of Philippine Emergency Alerts)
Authorities confirmed Saturday morning, April 11, that the blaze at the Navotas Sanitary Landfill had been brought under control, though suppression operations remain ongoing despite difficult access to the site.
Firefighters contained the fire at an inactive waste disposal facility in Barangay Tanza 2, Navotas.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said the blaze involved a 40-hectare closed landfill that has been non-operational since August 2025.
Fire Superintendent Anthony Arroyo said responders were hampered by the site’s isolated, “island-like” location, which can only be reached via barge.
He said low tide conditions delayed the movement of response teams, while muddy terrain in surrounding areas prevented fire trucks from accessing the site.
Despite these constraints, authorities confirmed the fire remained contained within the landfill perimeter, preventing it from spreading to nearby structures.
“Na-contain natin sa loob ng facility kaya walang naapektuhang kalapit na gusali (We contained it within the facility, so no nearby structures were affected),” Arroyo said.
Officials said smoke from the burning waste remains hazardous if it reaches nearby residential areas.“
Delikado pa rin ang usok kung mapunta sa residential areas (The smoke is still dangerous if it reaches residential areas),” Arroyo added.
Coordination with the local government of Navotas continues, while the Philippine Air Force is preparing aerial water-dropping operations to target remaining hotspots.
Fire officials said mop-up operations were ongoing as of 10:30 a.m. to extinguish residual smoldering areas and prevent flare-ups.
No injuries or fatalities were reported, as the site is far from residential communities.
Investigators are still determining the cause of the fire, with initial findings pointing to possible spontaneous combustion from decomposing waste that generates methane gas.
They are also looking into the possible ignition of discarded flammable materials, such as butane lighters, due to heat buildup inside the landfill.