SKM to compensate residents and businesses over 2017 Coolaroo fire

A man who had to evacuate his heavily pregnant wife and four children from their home after fire broke out at a Coolaroo recycling plant has welcomed a payout from waste giant SKM.

Castor Murillo, the lead plaintiff for the Coolaroo fire class action, has welcomed the SKM payout.

Rogue recycling business SKM has been ordered to pay $1.2 million to more than 200 people affected by a fire at its Coolaroo plant in 2017.

On July 13 2017, a blaze broke out in a rubbish pile at SKM’s Maffra St site, burning for 11 days.

At the height of the inferno, hundreds of nearby residents were urged to evacuate due to concerns over poor air quality, and 11 people required hospital treatment.

Maddens Lawyers, which represented those impacted by the fire, said the Supreme Court-ordered compensation would be distributed to individuals and businesses in the class action within months.

Firefighters battled the Coolaroo recycling plant fire on July 15. 2017. Picture: David Crosling

According to the law firm, each of the 210 participants are set to receive between 65 per cent to 70 per cent of their total assessed losses.

Father-of-four Castor Murillo, who was the lead plaintiff, said it was a great outcome.

“Many of us are still suffering the impacts of the fire, and this settlement will help to alleviate some of the pressures that we have been facing since this happened in 2017,” Mr Murillo said.

“It was an awful experience, but today’s outcome will serve to lessen some of the hardships that we have faced since the event.”

Mr Murillo earlier told Leader his heavily pregnant wife and four young children evacuated for five nights, including one spent sleeping in their car after their house was covered in ash. “I began to clean it up but I started to vomit and had burning in my throat and my lungs and I began feeling dizzy,” he said.

“The toxic smell was just nauseating.”

Mr Murillo said his doctors later diagnosed him with carbon monoxide poisoning.

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Maddens Lawyers principal Kathryn Emeny said the outcome was a good example of the importance of the class action system.

Waste giant SKM temporarily closed late last month, and on Friday was ordered to cease operating.

Supreme Court Judicial Registrar Julian Hetyey granted an application to wind up the company, declaring it insolvent after it failed to meet the deadline to pay its creditors.

SKM has been contacted for comment.