Fire breaks out at landfill site in Koutsoventis

On the morning of September 6, 2026, a fire broke out at a landfill site near the village of Koutsoventis in the occupied territories of Cyprus. The blaze, which began around 8:30 a.m., affected an area estimated between 20,000 and 25,000 square meters. Thick smoke from the fire was visible from government-controlled areas, prompting immediate action from local firefighting crews assisted by heavy machinery provided by a private company.

Following the incident, a technical team led by Yilmaz Altunderim, director of the local environmental department, conducted an inspection to assess the site and its environmental impact. Officials acknowledged that the facility has long suffered from poor management, including failures to properly cover waste with soil, which contributed to the severity of the situation. Previous inspections had already identified significant regulatory deficiencies at the site.

Authorities have secured the perimeter of the blaze and continue to work on cooling and extinguishing the remaining embers. The incident has intensified calls for a permanent solution and systematic intervention regarding the facility's operations, as the environmental department admitted that the current operational standards remain insufficient.