The Pembroke Dump fire was an "accident waiting to happen" because Government let waste pile to an incredible height, say nearby businesses.

The huge mound of horticultural waste ? which is expected to continue burning strongly for several days ? accumulated because the machines which break it down had been broken for more than two months, Works and Engineering Minister Dennis Lister has admitted.

People working nearby said they had nicknamed the heap "Mount Everest", while Shadow Public Safety Minister Michael Dunkley said it was the height of an eight-storey building.

They attacked Government for failing to act more quickly to replace the broken machines.

Mr. Lister last night pledged Government would ensure the pile never turned into a "mountain" again.

Fire-fighters were yesterday continuing to monitor the blaze, which has led to a partial evacuation since being sparked by natural causes on Wednesday morning.

Families were warned variable winds today could send smoke towards homes previously unaffected.

Streets near the dump continued to smell heavily of smoke while residents said their cars and homes were repeatedly covered with layers of ash whenever the wind swept in their direction. Falling ash was reported several miles away.

Concerns were also raised over the health of residents, with some worried parents keeping their children off nearby schools.

Calls have also been made for Government to help foot the bill to clean ash from roofs. Mr. Lister said his department would assess that possibility in the coming weeks.

The Bombay Palace restaurant, in North Street, claimed it lost hundreds of dollars in trade after being forced to close at 6.30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Staff member Linna Kumar said: "We had to shut for the whole evening because so much ash and smoke was blowing in.

"We lost business during the day too. People told us they weren't bothering to come in because they knew how smoky it was going to be.

"They should never have let the waste pile get that high. Every day we would look at it and see it getting bigger and bigger. We all nicknamed it Mount Everest.

"Common sense should tell you that if you can't break the waste down you should put it somewhere else instead of making one big pile. An accident like this was always going to happen."

Luvince Cann, who works at Parkside Restaurant, in Parsons Road, said: "All this smoke must be toxic. I'm disgusted that the Government has allowed this to happen."

United Bermuda Party MP Mr. Dunkley said the machines should have been fixed straight away.

"When we have problems, we continue to let them fester," he said.

"Equipment issues have been allowed to go on too long. To see the mound grow and grow and grow, the chances were that something was going to happen. Then we have got a devastating fire on our hands which we can't control.

"I noticed it ten days ago when I was on Parsons Road. It looked like an eight-storey building, and I wondered how it had got that high."

The Shadow Minister said help should be given to people affected by the debris.

He said: "I would like to extend my best wishes to the people because it's been a trying couple of days to be inundated with smoke and ash like they have. It's been relentless.

"Their property is getting damaged; their cars are getting damaged.

"I hope Government will look at the implications of what has happened and consider helping people get their lives back on track. Roofs have to be cleaned, for example."

Environmentalist Stuart Hayward was also critical.

"I have ridden past there and it was clear it was getting extraordinarily high," he said.

"This Government has shown it knows how to get things done quickly if there's a crisis. Apparently, this wasn't viewed as a crisis."

Mr. Lister insisted replacing the broken machines had been high on the department's agenda.

"It's a priority for us, but these are specialist pieces of equipment," he said yesterday.

"We can't just go to the garage and pull a piece off the shelf. We are at the whim of overseas suppliers to be able to get the parts we need."

Mr. Lister revealed that if the machines broke again in the future Government would react differently.

"We can't reassure people there will never be a fire again," he said.

"But we give assurance that there won't be a mountain like that again. I wouldn't want to measure it, but they're probably right when they say it was the height of an eight-storey building. But it won't get that high again.

"We have learned from this event. We will have to create a number of smaller piles if this situation happens again."

Asked whether Government would foot the bill for a clean-up operation, Mr. Lister said the matter would be assessed in due course.

About 30 fire-fighters were called to tackle an inferno the size of a football pitch at about 9 a.m. on Wednesday. Flames 90 feet high sent smoke billowing across the Island.

Seniors in Pembroke Rest Home were shifted to St. George's, while elderly neighbours and those with young children or breathing problems have also been urged to move.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday afternoon, Public Safety Minister David Burch said: "Reports from the Bermuda Fire Service are that the fire is still burning very strongly and we still anticipate this to continue for the next few days.

"We have been advised that the winds are shifting, which means that those residents and businesses who have not been adversely affected by the smoke may now become affected."

Fire Chief Vincent Hollinsid said last night: "Bermuda Fire Service remains vigilant at the Pembroke Dump site. At present, the pile of compost continues to burn."

Mr. Hollinsid said a layer of crust had now formed on the surface of the mound. Heavy equipment is expected to be brought in to break the crust, which should help reduce the size of the heap.

Mr. Hollinsid explained fire-fighters would then be able to extinguish the blaze.