Exclusive new photos show the aftermath of February's massive fire at a waste-to-energy plant in Miami-Dade that burned for weeks.
The photos, obtained exclusively by NBC6, are from the investigation into the fire at the Miami-Dade County Resources Recovery Facility on Northwest 97th Avenue in Doral.
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The photos show charred equipment and structures, along with various pieces of debris including gas canisters and other items.
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When the blaze broke out, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said they believed it began on a conveyor belt. Fire investigators concluded it was accidental, but could not pinpoint the exact cause. The fire investigation report stated the cause was most likely mechanical or electrical.
Fire rescue crews worked around-the-clock to extinguish the blaze, which caused the county's Solid Waste department to halt operations at the plant.
As a result of the fire, for nearly five months most of the waste that was processed at the plant has been diverted to different landfills.
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The plant is still not fully operational and its future remains in limbo. Local leaders and residents have debated over whether the plant should remain closed, reopen, or be moved to another location.
Earlier this week, Miami-Dade's Solid Waste director resigned while warning that the county could soon run out of space to properly dispose of waste, in part because of the fire and continued halt in operations at the plant.
Miami-Dade County employees are currently working on a report about the facility's future that is expected to be completed in mid-September and will be presented to commissioners.
The facility was built back in 1985 on land owned by Miami-Dade County. It is operated by Covanta Energy through a contractual agreement with the county.
According to the county's website, the facility, which processes more than 1 million tons of waste annually, is supported by two county landfills, a co-located ash monofill and three solid waste transfer stations.
Its primary purpose was to reduce the volume of municipal garbage by burning it, and in the process, generate power.
Power generated at the facility is sold to a private company and supplied to the electrical grid. This amount of energy is sufficient to operate the plant and to supply the electrical needs of approximately 35,000 homes.
