A new fire broke out on 19 September 2026 at the former New Vision composting plant in the industrial area of Sassinoro, in the province of Benevento. The site had already experienced a fire on 11 May 2026 involving stored waste or material.
According to NTR24, the September fire developed in the late afternoon and produced a dense column of black smoke visible from a distance. The report says the fire involved waste still present inside the site and the former plant building.
Firefighters from Vitulano and San Marco dei Cavoti responded to the incident, supported by a water tanker from the Province of Benevento. Carabinieri also attended the site. Investigations were expected to establish the origin of the fire.
A repeat incident at the same site
The September fire is the second reported fire at the Sassinoro plant in less than five months.
The earlier incident, on 11 May 2026, involved stored material inside the plant, according to NTR24 and L'Eco del Sannio. The May response involved firefighters and specialist teams, while ARPAC or other environmental monitoring was reported. A LabTv video report from that morning said firefighters intervened at the New Vision plant while the cause remained to be established and the mayor monitored air quality.
NTR24 reported that the May fire affected material stored inside a facility that was under judicial seizure, with ARPAC conducting environmental checks while authorities investigated the cause.
Seized site and revoked authorizations
NTR24 reports that the New Vision authorizations had been revoked and that the area had been under seizure since summer 2025. That revocation and seizure status has not been independently verified through an official administrative or judicial document in the sources acquired.
The recurrence raises two unresolved questions for local residents: what caused each fire, and why waste or stored material remained on site months after the first incident and after the reported seizure.
Neither question has an answer in the reporting so far. The cause of the September fire has not been established, nor had the cause of the May fire been established in the sources reviewed. The exact quantity and composition of the waste affected in September is not reported, and the final extent of structural or environmental damage remains unknown.
Safety advice for residents
Local mayors urged residents to avoid approaching the area and to follow official safety instructions.
No confirmed air-quality measurements or public health assessment for the September fire were found in the sources acquired. Readers in Sassinoro and nearby communities should rely on updates from firefighters, Carabinieri, ARPAC, and municipal authorities for guidance on smoke exposure, road access, and any precautions around the industrial area.
What to watch next
The immediate focus is extinguishing the fire and securing the site. After that, attention is likely to turn to the investigation into the fire's origin and to the administrative history of the plant.
For now, the established facts are limited but significant: two fires at the same former composting facility, in May and September 2026, both involving stored waste or material, with emergency response and environmental monitoring in May and a firefighter and Carabinieri response in September. The causes, the environmental impact, and the future of the seized site remain to be clarified by the authorities.
