Video: Buildings engulfed in flames in Alphen aan den Rijn; Crowdfunding rallies support

Extensive damage was inflicted on a restaurant on the Rijnkade in central Alphen aan den Rijn on Saturday after a large fire engulfed the rooftop, spreading quickly to nearby buildings before being brought under control by firefighters in the early hours of the morning.

The blaze, which broke out at around 3 a.m. on Saturday on the top floor of tapas restaurant Proto, caused the roofs of two buildings to cave-in entirely, with firefighters reporting "enormous" damage inside both buildings, according to local news service Omroep West.

Nearby homes were evacuated, and fifteen residents were given shelter. Luckily, the incident resulted in no injuries. No information is known about the cause of the fire, according to the news service.

The fire was under control at around 6:30 a.m., the firefighters said, with the local shopping street Van Mandersloostraat remaining partially closed for the duration of Saturday morning.

A crowdfunding campaign to help the owners raise enough money to rebuild the location had already topped ten thousand euros by 4:30 p.m.

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