One resident "severely injured" in Amsterdam elder care fire
A fire at a care home in Amsterdam left one person "severely injured" on Tuesday afternoon. The resident was transported to an area hospital with burn wounds, authorities said.
Several other people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, authorities said. The blaze occurred in the Amsta facility on Van 't Hooflaan in the Watergraafsmeer neighborhood of Amsterdam Oost. The building is a specialized location for housing elderly people with dementia.
The fire was contained to a single residence at the location, a spokesperson for the fire department said to NL Times. Smoke then filled a section of the building, which led to first responders evacuating a portion of the building.
The fire alarm was first called in at 1:36 p.m. on Tuesday. Multiple ambulances were sent to the scene over the following half hour, a trauma team traveling by helicopter. The alarm was elevated at 1:57 p.m., with more personnel sent to the scene to assist in moving the building's residents.
Firefighters struck out the flames soon after, and proceeded to vent out the smoke. Emergency services determined the building to be safe, with people allowed back into the most affected areas by 2:30 p.m.
The Amsta location was first opened in 2015. Residents at the facility live in small groups, and have access to a kitchen and common areas, according to the Amsta website.
The cause of the fire was still under investigation Tuesday afternoon
