Fire in squatted Rotterdam building injures 3, including child

A fire broke out in a building occupied by squatters in Rotterdam on Sunday night. Three people sustained injuries - they were taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, Rijnmond Veilig said on Twitter.

One of the tree injured is a child, bystanders told broadcaster NOS.

The fire started in the basement of the building on Roosstraat for as yet unknown reasons. The building's residents discovered the fire, went outside and alerted emergency services.

Firefighters had great difficulty extinguishing the fire, due to a large amount of junk in and around the building, bystanders said to NOS.

Due to smoke development, the residents of surrounding buildings were evacuated.