TCI News
Burning rubber at Provo Landfill; fire again blamed on arson… again
#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos – Wednesday 25, 2018 – Targeted acts of sabotage are said to be behind the toxic-looking fire once again raging at the Providenciales landfill and those surreptitious attacks have forced a stop on tire-shredding in Providenciales, explained the managers of the dump site.
Residents of the Belgrade Parker Gardens and Millennium Heights subdivisions have been, since last night, expressing dire concern about the blazing inferno and the black smoke emanating from the dump site, also known as the Providenciales landfill. 
It is thought that the fire from three months ago was still burning, but according a media release today, Turks and Caicos Environmental Management says this is a new fire, a new act of arson and the black smoke is because rubber tires are burning.
“On Wednesday, July 25 at approximately 1:30 a.m., a fire started at the Providenciales Landfill. The event appears to be an intentional arson and police and fire service personnel will be conducting a formal investigation. Specifically, the waste tires were set on fire, which is the reason for the size and dark color of the smoke plume,” said Turks and Caicos Environmental Management, TCEM.
Magnetic Media is informed that the Minister of Home Affairs and Member of Parliament for the area, Delroy Williams did visit the property earlier today; however there has been no statement from him as yet about the nagging and unhealthy problem.
TCEM is talking though and amidst the residents’ watchful eyes say they are facing serious challenges in Grand Turk too.
“This appears to be the latest in a series of arsons at the TCI’s two landfill facilities, both in Grand Turk and Providenciales. It is at least the fourth such incident in recent months.”
The tire shredder which finally arrived last year was attacked in these arsons also, explained the waste management company, which despite having security guards on duty, has been unable to fend off the alleged arsonists. 
“… to exacerbate the current situation, TCEM’s waste tire shredder was targeted and burned in February of this year. But for that incident, which delayed the processing of waste tires, the Providenciales tire pile would by now have been shredded.”
The crimes have been reported to the Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force but there have no updates on the investigations.
Contractually, TCEM is supposed to shred tires and the company is also expected to have systems established to mitigate fires. In the media statement it was shared that, “Fire response protocols are in place and have been enacted. TCEM personnel, with the assistance of the TCI Fire Service, is working exhaustively to contain and snuff the fire. Tire fires are difficult to extinguish but we will abate it as quickly as possible.”
Meanwhile the air is polluted with a pungent odor, the blue sky is interrupted by billowing black smoke and reports are that the smoke can be seen from Grace Bay in the east and Chalk Sound in the south west of Provo.
The burning scrap rubber is believed a very serious threat to human health according to research our media house has explored. In fact, Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide in a published study says that: “Specifically, emissions from burning tires are highly mutagenic (more mutagenic than emissions from the burning of all other bulk materials that researchers have tested). Emissions from burning tires contains significant amounts of the following known human carcinogens…”
Yes, the same carcinogens identified as causing cancer.
TCI News
Turks and Caicos Islands Reaffirms Status as Premier Beach and Romance Destination at World Travel Awards
Turks and Caicos, September 21, 2025 – On Sunday, September 21st, 2025, the United States Coast Guard Southeast (USCG), working
in coordination with the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RT&CIPF) Marine Branch, the TCI Regiment, and the TCI Border Force, intercepted a vessel carrying 103 migrants bound for Providenciales.
The suspicious vessel, first tracked by the USCG, was stopped at sea and later secured by the Sea Guardian vessel, which towed it safely to South Dock Marina. Upon arrival, the migrants were disembarked and handed over to the TCI Border Force for processing.
A breakdown of those on board confirmed:
- 75 males (including two minors)
- 28 females (including two minors)
This interception marks the 18th such operation in 2025, bringing the total number of migrants detained this year to 1,510. The RT&CIPF thanks the USCG and local agencies for their close cooperation, noting that this successful outcome demonstrates the effectiveness of layered security measures protecting the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Force reminds the public that illegal migration is dangerous and life-threatening, and violations of the law will not be tolerated.
Anyone with information on illegal migration is urged to contact the nearest police station, call 911, the Serious Crime Unit at 231-1842, or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 or via the P3 app.
Photos Courtesy: Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force
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