A fire broke out on the evening of 19 September 2026 at the former New Vision composting facility in the industrial area of Sassinoro, in the province of Benevento.

By 20 September the fire was reported to be under control, but not definitively extinguished. Final extinguishing and site clean-up operations were still incomplete at the time of the report.

Firefighters from the San Marco dei Cavoti and Vitulano stations, supported by a tanker from the Benevento provincial command, worked through the night to contain the blaze. Earthmoving equipment was used as part of the overnight operation.

ASL recommendations for residents and workers

As a precaution, the local health authority, the ASL, advised residents and workers in the area to limit time spent outdoors until the emergency ends.

The reported recommendations were to:

  • limit outdoor exposure;
  • keep doors and windows closed;
  • disable outside-air intake systems where possible;
  • avoid balconies, terraces and courtyards;
  • seek medical advice or emergency care in case of respiratory symptoms, including breathing difficulty or irritation of the airways.

The full original ASL notice was not published with the report; the recommendations are known through NTR24's account of the health authority's guidance.

Second fire in a few months

The Sassinoro report identifies the September incident as the plant's second fire in a few months, referring to an earlier fire on 11 May.

No independent air-quality measurements or laboratory results from the 20 September fire were included in the retrieved material. The cause of the fire, the quantity and composition of the burned material, and any confirmed environmental or health damage are not established.

The exact time when extinguishing and clean-up operations would be completed was not confirmed.

Background: authorization revoked in January

The plant's authorization had been revoked by the Campania Regional Government on 26 January 2026. The revocation required a decommissioning plan including remediation and environmental restoration.

The administrative and judicial dispute continued after the revocation. The company was required to submit updated decommissioning, restoration, and preliminary investigation plans for soil, subsoil and groundwater.

The wider New Vision dispute

The New Vision matter also involved allegations concerning pollution of the Sassinora river and a legal challenge before the administrative court. In March 2026, the Municipality of Sassinoro joined proceedings against the company in connection with the alleged river pollution case.

That context does not establish the cause of the September fire. It explains why the site has remained under close public and institutional attention while decommissioning and environmental restoration obligations were still being addressed.