Large fire triggers evacuations in Leeuwarden
A number of office buildings and homes in the vicinity of the old tax office in Leeuwarden were evacuated on Friday. A large fire started in the former tax building on Tesselschadestraat on Friday morning, and smoke is drawing over the city, RTL Nieuws reports.
An NL Alert was sent out around 9:00 a.m. warning locals to keep out of the smoke, keep doors and windows closed and to switch of their ventilation.
Four people were in the building when the fire started, a spokesperson for the municipality said to the broadcaster. They were staying there to prevent squatters moving in. They were safely removed from the building and are being cared for elsewhere.
According to the municipal spokesperson, the fire department is trying to cool down the building from the outside. "They first have to create a passage, then they'll try to carry out demolition work to be able to reach the fire."
The evacuated office buildings include Veiligheidshuis and a law firm. The bridge keeper's cottage is closed due to the smoke, making sailing traffic impossible. Seven roads are also closed to to traffic.
Still going.. #brand #tesselschadestraat #leeuwarden #benauwdhierbinnen #ing pic.twitter.com/YBPp9r6Qv2
— J i l d a u (@Jildau0705) June 22, 2018
Brand! #leeuwarden #tesselschadestraat #brand pic.twitter.com/AIXzqyCkKF
— J i l d a u (@Jildau0705) June 22, 2018
Update brand Leeuwarden: Brandweer trekt gebouw open op zoek naar brandhaard: Nog altijd is de brand in het oude belastingkantoor aan de Tesselschadestraat in Leeuwarden niet onder controle. Deze onstond om 08:21 uur. Tegen het middaguur besloot de… https://t.co/RJAXAajDKk pic.twitter.com/DHtZwvdHEp
— Leeuwarden (@leeuwarden) June 22, 2018
Voor mensen die niet weten wat Grip 2 betekent. Gecoördineerde Regionale Incidentbestrijdings Procedure (GRIP) Bron- en effectbestrijding. Incident met duidelijke uitstraling naar de omgeving. #Leeuwarden #tesselschadestraat pic.twitter.com/ESm2mTys8C
— de Vries W.H. (@wouterhendrik54) June 22, 2018
https://twitter.com/asmedianl/status/1010059900804849666