An outraged trucker yesterday slammed Government waste disposal methods after a fire at a Devonshire facility stopped him from doing a day's work.

Trucker Carlton Smith contacted The Royal Gazette after yesterday morning's fire at the Tyne's Bay Incinerator.

A Bermuda Fire Services spokesman reported that a call came into the station at 6.32 a.m. and three appliances responded. At the incinerator they found a "deep-seated'' fire in the storage container.

A mechanical grab was used to break up the waste that was smouldering while firefighters wet it down. Two hours later it was still smoking and incinerator staff continued to wet it down through the day.

It is understood that firefighters were called back to the incinerator last night when the smouldering embers reignited.

The fire stopped Mr. Smith and his fellow truckers who wanted to dump their truckloads of waste at the facility.

Mr. Smith said: "I have a big problem with Government and its waste disposal methods. I went to Tynes Bay to dump some stuff. They had a fire and I was stuck at the incinerator for four hours.

"They had no solution but we were told they would have one by noon.'' He said he went into Hamilton to find Works and Engineering Minister C.V.

(Jim) Woolridge after noon came to tell him what was going on, but was unable to track him down.

Upon returning to the incinerator, he found a temporary solution had been reached. "They gave us an area to dump our loads at,'' said Mr. Smith.

But he said Government was managing the waste disposal facilities poorly.

"They should take measures so this does not happen. When something like that happens, they should have an emergency dumping area set up.'' Mr. Smith said it was both truckers and the taxpayer who suffered from Government's poor operation.

"The way they do it costs the taxpayer and the hours of operation are unsuitable for the public.

"When we get stuck, we lose a day's wages because our trucks are tied up and no-one wants to absorb the cost.'' And he said the fact the incinerator had a fire in its bulk storage area was dangerous.

"They shouldn't have a fire in there. All that trash should be kept wet to avoid spontaneous combustion. That room is poorly ventilated as it is.

"It's a hazard to people working in there. God forbid we are in there working when a fire breaks out.

"I have tried to speak to people about it but no-one wants to help. It is very unfair.

"I have a few solutions to offer the Minister and a few questions to ask him but I want to do it publicly. If we do it in private, I am afraid that they will get swept under the table. I am talking to you because if he sees this then he may get in touch with me.'' Mr. Woolridge could not be reached for comment yesterday.

A press release from his department said the fire meant that most garbage was not collected yesterday and residents whose garbage is normally collected on Thursdays should leave it out for collection today or tomorrow.