Ellis County

On Friday, Sept. 27 at approximately 4:30 a.m., a fire broke out at the Ellis County Landfill service shop. The fire started in a large plastic container outside of the building that is available for the public to drop off hazardous household waste, such as paint cans.

Late in the afternoon on Thursday, Sept. 26, someone dropped off multiple stain-soaked rags that spontaneously combusted, causing the fire. An insurance claim was filed and the 30-by-50-foot building was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. No injuries were caused by the fire.

The Ellis County Public Works Department and the Ellis County Landfill would like to remind the public that oily/stained rags are considered unacceptable and are not to be disposed of at the landfill. It is important to know that oily rags should always be allowed to be completely dried out before disposing of them. Oily/stained rags should never be bunched and thrown away, as it increases the chances of spontaneous combustion, causing a fire/and or explosion.

Ellis County Public Works would like to extend a sincere thank-you to the Ellis County Fire Department and Hays Fire Department for a quick response, as well as the community for their patience and cooperation during the event.

For more information regarding the types of items that are acceptable/unacceptable, such as household hazardous waste, at the landfill, please visit our website at www.ellisco.net. Any questions can be directed to the Ellis County Landfill at 785-628-9460 or the Ellis County Environmental office at 785-628-9449.