Firefighters rescue three as fire sweeps through Amsterdam bike shop

Firefighters rescued three people early Monday morning while colleagues tried to extinguish a fire in a bicycle shop on Mercatorplein in Amsterdam. The four-story building includes residential units above the ground-floor shop.

Fire department crews were dispatched to the scene just before 3:30 a.m. It was clear within 20 minutes that there were people stuck in the building, as the thick smoke made it difficult for residents to get out of the apartments on their own.

Firefighters brought breathing apparatuses to those who were trapped, and then led them to safety. Five people were also checked by paramedics for smoke inhalation, the fire department said in a statement.

The alarm was elevated several times, with more workers and equipment needed to extinguish the blaze. The fire was finally struck out at about 5 a.m. “The cause is under investigation,” the fire department said.