(CMR) A substantial fire at Beacon Farm off Frank South Road in North Side raged overnight after it started at 4:00 p.m. Monday after when a part of the composting facility ignited.
The original afternoon fire was put out by some of the workers at the location before re-igniting. Sources have shared that this is the second time that the compost pile has ignited.
There were large piles of compacted cardboard boxes and wooden pallets that were collected from a local grocery store over the course of several months waiting to be chipped. That helped to fuel the fire which turned into a huge blaze Monday evening.
All of these items eventually caught fire. The Cayman Islands Fire Service spent the evening and into this morning extinguishing the blaze. They eventually had to dig around the fire in order to contain it and ensure that it has been fully extinguished. Sources expect them to be on location for the remainder of the day.
We also understand that expensive state-of-the-art equipment was also set ablaze by the out-of-control fire.
Beacon Farms is a non-profit organization that employes recovering drug and alcohol addicts being given a second chance at employment and life. On the farmworkers grow tobacco, beets, coconuts, and other fruit and vegetables.
There is a processing plant where modern equipment is used to convert coconuts into pure coconut oil and flour. Workers at the 34-acre farm, receive a salary, pension and health insurance, undergo spot checks for alcohol and drugs.
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