The cause of the Pembroke dump fire is officially undetermined, Government said yesterday.And measures to mitigate future fires include installing a large water tank for regular spraying of the composting piles.Both National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief and Minister for Public Works Michael Weeks updated the House of Assembly on the fire at the Marsh Folly Composting Facility.“Deliberate ignition, weather conditions and spontaneous ignition have all been ruled out as causes of the fire,” said Mr Perinchief.“Whilst accidental ignition is the likely cause, there is insufficient evidence to record that as the official cause of the fire. Best practice demands that the official cause of the fire be recorded as ‘undetermined’.”Mr Perinchief praised the uniformed services for their role in responding to the fire two weeks ago.And he said the fire could have been worse, were it not for measures taken following the last time the dump caught fire.“Having adopted the advice of the Fire Service in the period since the last fire, this blaze was easier to manage and potentially devastating effects significant mitigated,” Mr Perinchief said.“In addition to this aspect of matters, Mr. Speaker, this is an instance where prudent investment in infrastructure, top-level training and state-of the art equipment made all the difference.”Government’s “prudent” investment in a new mobile water supply system known as Hytrans Fire System, had demonstrated value for money, he added.“Firefighters worked extremely hard under very adverse conditions and each and every one of them is to be commended for the magnificent job done in bringing this fire under control in so short a period of time,” Mr Perinchief continued.“Mr Speaker, the Fire Service was ably supported in their efforts by a detachment from the Bermuda Regiment. Fifty soldiers provided valuable support and had been pressed into service from the very evening the fire started.“They were an integral part of separating waste piles ranging from 150 — 175 ft high using the equipment provided. This, in turn, helped to decrease the amount of burnable material and made it easier to put the fires out.”He said: “During the course of the day, the soldiers assisted the Fire Service by carrying out associated tasks, such as moving hoses, clearing debris and general duties to enable the firefighters to concentrate on specialist tasks or take well earned rest.“Although soldiers are not trained specifically to deal with large fires, their comprehensive training package enables them to follow orders with discipline, make well evaluated decisions, and act with determination and tenacity.“Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of National Security is immensely proud of all of the uniformed services who played a vital role in safety and security in connection with this event. But for their high standard of training, discipline and commitment, we could be talking today in more tragic terms. Thankfully we are not.”Mr Weeks added his praise for the performance of the uniformed services, his ministry’s team and the media’s coverage.And he thanked the Bermuda Water Trucker’s Association “who rallied their members to the cause”.Mr Weeks said that less than ten people had to seek medical attention at the King Edward Memorial Hospital for smoke related issues. And random water testing of tanks in the area is underway.The Minister added that 23 damage claims had been submitted to the Ministry, and encouraged residents with such claims to take them to his Ministry’s headquarters on the third floor of the Government Post Office building.Among the measures being put in place to mitigate future fires are additional signage to enforce a no smoking policy, installing a large water tank to enable workers to spray the composting piles, and improving the way the compost is stockpiled.Shredded horticultural waste will be sprayed to cool each layer and the entire pile “will be sprayed one last time” at the end of the day to eliminate hot spots.“The Ministry has been and will continue to meet with the various groups concerning proposals to turn the waste collected at the site into energy,” Mr Weeks added.He said: “My pledge as Minister responsible is that we will take action to ensure Marsh Folly is no longer forgotten and ignored but that real plans are put in place to convert the site to a public amenity sometime in the future.”At question time, Mr Weeks was asked by Kim Swan, St George’s West MP, whether there were plans to shred the waste finer in order to encourage greater use of it by the public.The Minister replied that there are “some things afoot”.Mr Swan asked Mr Weeks whether an alternative site had been identified for the dump in view of plans to turn it into a public amenity.Mr Weeks said that no alternative site had been identified but he reminded Mr Swan that his Ministry was looking at ways to turn the waste into energy.