Elkhart residents asked to stay indoors due to massive landfill fire

Waste Management’s Earthmover landfill in Elkhart County is on fire, and residents are being asked to stay indoors.

The landfill on C.R. 26 near the bypass has been burning since 3:45 a.m.

The north-to-northwest wind is pushing the smoke towards the city of Elkhart. Elkhart officials are encouraging the public as far as Bristol Street to stay indoors and close all windows. The facility doesn’t store hazardous materials, according to Elkhart County Sheriff’s Capt. Jim Bradberry.

It’s not known yet what caused the fire to start.

Numerous agencies are at the site, trying to figure out how to fight this difficult fire. They include Elkhart County’s Emergency Management, the Concord Fire Department, the Elkhart City Fire Department, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), Waste Management, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Hazmat Teams, and the National Weather Service.

C.R. 26 will be closed between C.R. 7 and C.R. 11 for emergency responders.