The Public Health Ministry is on high alert to monitor the health conditions of people living close to a landfill in Ayutthaya province that recently caught fire.

The ministry also dispatched mobile medical units into the area as an assistance measure. Even though firefighters have successfully put out the fire on the landfill, they have continued to spray water at some areas to assure that the fire has completely died down. Blankets of smoke are still visible in the area.

According to the ministry’s permanent-secretary, Dr. Narong Sahametapat, orders have been made to the Ayutthaya Public Health Office and the Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya Hospital to closely follow up on cases of victims affected from the burnt landfill.

A war room is also set up to discuss a short and long-term solution to the problem, serving as a channel to connect with related agencies and manage medical mobile units.

Special attention would be given towards taking care of groups of people at risk, which are the elderly and pregnant women.

Dr. Narong urged the Pollution Control Department (PCD) and the Department of Disease Control (DDC) to keep an eye on the environment and weather conditions.

An assessment of the risky areas surrounding the burnt landfill within a 1 kilometer radius will be conducted on a daily basis.