One hundred firefighters are battling a large fire in a rubbish shed south of Sydney that caught fire at around 8am on Saturday.
Fire and Rescue NSW has sent 20 fire trucks to Lindsay Street in Rockdale as thick black smoke flies over the south of the city.
A local evacuation is being conducted for those living or working near the Cleanaway Rockdale Resource Recovery Center, the rubbish shed that caught fire. Local roads surrounding the facility are closed and smoke slows traffic on West Botany Street.
Fire and Rescue NSW urged area residents to stay indoors and close doors, windows and vents.
“There is a lot of smoke in the area. We are advising people to stay away and stay at home,” a spokesman said. “It’s not good to breathe, obviously.”
Firefighters expect to be fighting the fire for the next four to six hours. An excavator is working to clean up extra debris from the cremation site.
Area text alerts have been issued to people in the area and residents are urged to avoid Bay Street, West Botany Street, President Avenue and The Grand Parade.
Local shops near the garbage shed, including a neighboring Fitness First, have closed.
From Sydney Airport, where tens of thousands of travelers arrive early for their long weekend departures after queuing chaos and terrible Friday delays, you can see thick black smoke coming out of the facilities.