Massive fire erupts at Rotterdam waste plant; no injuries reported
Updated at 11:00 to add that the fire is now under control
A major fire broke out early Sunday at a waste processing facility on Waalhavenweg, forcing a large-scale emergency response. All employees inside the building at the time escaped safely. No injuries were reported, according to the Rotterdam-Rijnmond Safety Region. The fire was declared under control around 11 a.m.
The first reports came in just before 7 a.m. The fire was quickly scaled up to very large fire, enabling the deployment of additional firefighters, vehicles, and specialized teams.
Fireboats from the Port of Rotterdam Authority pumped large volumes of water from the Maas River to assist crews on the ground.
Officials said the fire remained difficult to control due to the large volume of waste inside the hall, which risked reigniting or smoldering even after initial suppression efforts proved effective.
Thick smoke was visible in the early stages but had diminished significantly by 8:15 a.m. However, smoke continued to hang low over the nearby Heijplaat neighborhood, where residents may notice odor or air quality issues. Fire department teams were deployed to monitor the area for hazardous substances.
Reporting by ANP
