Massive lava-like fire at Staplyton landfill ruins Christmas lunch between Brisbane, Gold Coast

Massive garbage fire ‘like three football fields covered in lava’ fills the sky with a haze of toxic smoke and gives hundreds of families a stinky Christmas

  • Huge fire at Gold Coast landfill turned garbage to flowing ‘lava’ on Christmas Eve
  • Residents reported ‘putrid’ smoke and some saw the glow from 50km away
  • Queensland Fire and Rescue worked overnight to control the enormous fire 

A spectacular rubbish dump fire the size of three footy fields looks like a lava field and is billowing toxic smoke.

The fire at the Staplyton landfill, between Gold Coast and Brisbane, caught alight producing a molten river of garbage on Christmas Eve.

Firefighters had to battle the blaze overnight into Christmas Day at the Staplyton Waste and Recycling Centre on Rossmans Road before bringing it under control.

The fire was estimated to be 200m by 100m – at least as large as three rugby league fields. 

An enormous fire the size of two footy fields, producing a lava-like burning material and billowing toxic smoke produced health warnings for Brisbane and Gold Coast residents

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Service warned residents to stay indoors.

‘Residents should close windows and doors and keep respiratory medications close by,’ it said.

Households at Beenleigh, Edens Landing, Waterford, and Mt Gravatt complained of ‘putrid’ smoke.

‘Terrible smoke north east of the landfill, there goes the outside Xmas lunch,’ one Brisbane woman said. 

‘Everything stinks this morning. Ho ho ho!,’ another mum said on Christmas morning. 

Several Gold Coast residents complained they could see and smell the ‘huge’ fire with one speculating ‘It could take days if not weeks to put out.’

The fire at the Staplyton landfill, between Gold Coast and Brisbane, caught alight producing a molten river of garbage on Christmas eve

The fire at the Staplyton landfill, between Gold Coast and Brisbane, caught alight producing a molten river of garbage on Christmas eve

Firefighters had to battle the blaze overnight into Christmas day at the Staplyton Waste and Recycling Centre on Rossmans Road before bringing it under control

Firefighters had to battle the blaze overnight into Christmas day at the Staplyton Waste and Recycling Centre on Rossmans Road before bringing it under control

A local woman posted online that the fire looked like lava while another said ‘it looks like the end of the world’.

‘We can see it clear as day. We also went and had a look and it looked like lava coming from the top!’ one wrote.

Mostly residents sent thoughts to the firefighters working through Christmas eve.

‘I hope they can stay safe and make it back to their families as soon as possible,’ one wrote.

Another local woman commented on how loud the fire was.

‘I can’t get over the sound. It was mesmerizing,’ she added

‘That would be the pink glow I could see in the sky,’ a mum from Robina, 50km away, wrote.

Households at Beenleigh, Edens Landing, Waterford and Mt Gravatt complained of 'putrid' smoke. while some complained their Christmas plans were ruined

Households at Beenleigh, Edens Landing, Waterford and Mt Gravatt complained of ‘putrid’ smoke. while some complained their Christmas plans were ruined 

Another local joked she thought the fire was from ‘Santa crashing his sleigh’. 

Queensland Fire and Emergency Service appeared to finally get the blaze under control on Christmas morning.

The service reported around 8am that its crews ‘are no longer required on scene at this incident’.

Staplyton landfill was a general waste dump for the Gold Coast but as of Christmas eve was closed to the public and only available for ‘commercial, construction and demolition customers’. 

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