Gurugram, April 17 -- A day after a major fire broke out at the Bandhwari Landfill, spreading across five to six acres, the blaze continues to smoulder at several spots, with fresh flare-ups being reported during waste removal operations, a spot check by HT found on Thursday. Around 40 fire tenders from Gurugram and Faridabad have been dispatched to the site over the past 28 hours since the fire broke out, according to officials. The fire triggered on three fronts was reduced to one facing Delhi-Faridabad road, with firefighting units led by engineers Sandeep Sihag, Sunil (single name) and JC Dr Preetpal Singh. Fire department officials present on the site said the complete clearing of smoke would take one or two days. Officials said even though the exact cause of the fire still remains unknown, however methane buildup beneath the compressed waste and rising temperatures triggered the flames. "Long-term measures, such as increasing CCTV surveillance and tractor-mounted surveillance, will be implemented at the plant," said Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) commissioner Pradeep Dahiya . On Thursday Dahiya, during a meeting, issued an order mandating round-the-clock monitoring at the site. The order, seen by HT, outlines assigned responsibilities to senior officials to ensure vigilance and swift response to any flare-ups. According to the order, officials have been directed to remain present at the landfill during their shifts, conduct regular inspections of fire-prone areas, and ensure the availability of firefighting equipment, water tankers and emergency systems. On Thursday afternoon, at least 25 personnel, including MCG officials and staff members, were containing flames. "Smoke trapped beneath eight to ten feet of compressed waste, with risks of reignition, is being subdued through the deployment of 20 excavators and 46 cylinders sourced from 16 processing plants, with a combined capacity of up to 7,400 metric tonnes per day," a senior MCG official said, requesting anonymity. Officials and workers present on the site said that an initial delay in firefighting response likely triggered the blaze to spread."The ongoing state-wide strike of firefighters, including 150 firemen on the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam (HKRN) payroll, has confined our operations," said a senior fire department official, requesting anonymity. The latest data from the fire department showed that around 70 fire calls were made from the landfill during the summer months from March to June in 2024 and another 68 during the same period in 2025. Around four fire calls have been made this year. Around four waste fires were triggered at the landfill in 2025, down from nine the year before....