A fire broke out at the Vellalore dump yard in Coimbatore around 5 a.m. on Sunday, spreading across about two acre on the eastern side of the site, where garden waste had accumulated over legacy waste, an official said.

The blaze was noticed by patrolling staff from the watchtower, following which firefighting operations were launched. Ten fire tenders were deployed to contain the blaze. Water was pumped from a waterbody within the dump yard premises to douse the fire.

Around 300 personnel, including firefighters and Coimbatore Corporation workers, were deployed for the operation. Earthmovers were also used to remove and spread the waste to prevent the fire from spreading.

Officials suspect that the fire could have been triggered by the heat conditions prevailing over the past week. The exact cause, however, is yet to be ascertained.

The officials hoped to bring the fire under control within 24 hours.

Published - August 23, 2026 08:35 pm IST