Damage From Iowa City Landfill Fire Worse Than Expected

By Mark Carlson, Reporter

A remote camera, with its lights turned on, that was placed in a drainage pipe at the Iowa City Landfill on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Iowa City, Iowa. Workers are checking for damage to drain pipes after the fire at the landfill this summer. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)

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By Liz Blood

Story Created: Oct 24, 2012 at 5:31 PM CDT

Story Updated: Oct 24, 2012 at 10:43 PM CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Damage from a fire that consumed much of the Iowa City landfill is still being assessed, but city officials say things are looking worse than originally expected.

"It's not good news," said Dan Scott, a city project engineer assigned to the landfill rebuilding. "The fire did more damage than we actually thought."

Scott estimates the total damage at $5 million.

The fire broke out over memorial day weekend after someone is believed to have dropped off hot waste. The exact cause of the fire, which smoldered until late August, has never been determined.

"We lost about 14 acres of our new cell," Scott said. "We're trying to figure out how much was destroyed by the fire, and how much is still here that maybe we can repair."

On Wednesday crews inspected underground piping with a camera. At least one 600 foot pipe will likely need to be replaced rather than repaired, Scott said.

The city plans to begin repair to the damaged cell next year. Much of the project will involve removing a large clay liner, which heat turned to brick during the blaze.

It's still not clear if the city's insurance policy will cover any of the damage, Scott said.

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