Prime Minister Perry Christie (in black jacket) watches as the dump fires. (Photo: Facebook page of the Office of the Prime Minister)

NASSAU, The Bahamas, Monday March 6, 2017 An immediate evacuation has been ordered after a massive fire broke out at the city dump in The Bahamas capital, Nassau, in the island of New Providence yesterday and continues burning.

The order to leave the area immediately, applied to residents living in the surrounding area of Jubilee Gardens who have been advised to take all necessary precautions to ensure their safety. Evacuation facilities were established at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has activated its Emergency Plan, and all available resources have been mobilized, a statement from the government said.

Although it is too early to be certain, officials say it appears that a number of fires were started in the area and because of the high winds being experienced on New Providence, at least one of those fires blew across the boundary and ignited the public landfill.

Prime Minister Perry Christie was on the scene shortly after the scale and intensity of the blaze were confirmed.

The number one priority is to ensure that everyone is safe. I am confident that the Emergency Services are doing whatever is required to make certain that no-one comes to harm. We have already made every resource available to limit the damage to property, and to minimize environmental harm, he said.

Christie added that the government would reach out to international partners for assistance, if the situation warrants that.

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