Fire that released asbestos in Limburg under control

A large fire in an agricultural company shed in Lottum, Limburg, which released asbestos, is under control. The flames are out, bu the site is still being extinguished, a spokesperson for the Limburg-Noord security region said.

No one was injured in the fire, but residents of two houses opposite the shed cannot spend the night at home. The shed itself, which contained agricultural vehicles and a barrel of linseed oil, must be considered lost, the spokesperson said.

The fire also released asbestos, which ended up around the site and in the neighbors' yard. Due to the contamination from the asbestos and soot particles, residents must find temporary living situations elsewhere, the spokesperson said.

Some asbestos also blew away from the site, ending up within 500 meters of the area, the spokesperson said. That is in the direction of Horst, where the A73 also runs. However, traffic was not hindered by the smoke clouds or asbestos.

The area also contains another five houses, a number of greenhouses and farmland. Anyone who finds asbestos particles is urged "not to pick it up or do anything with it.”

The asbestos looks like gray fragments or flakes of a corrugated iron roof, according to the spokesperson. The municipality of Horst aan de Maas is responsible for cleaning it up. The environment may still experience some odor nuisance during the post-extinguishing operation.