Pet store burns down in Nieuw-Vennep; Lightning causes fires in Stramproy, Waalwijk

Fire departments responded to multiple fires in the Netherlands. Two pet stores specializing in birds and fish burned down in Nieuw-Vennep. And lightning strikes caused fires in Stramproy and Waalwijk.

The fire that destroyed the pet stores on IJweg in Nieuw-Vennep broke out at around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The stores were burnt down within half an hour, the owner of Alles voor uw vogel said on Facebook. “I don’t have words. Our life’s work destroyed within half an hour. Without any form of goodbye, the birds have been taken from us.”

Firefighters evacuated two adjacent homes and managed to keep the fire from spreading, NH Nieuws reports. No humans were hurt in the blaze, but an unknown number of fish and birds died.

In Stramproy, Limburg, lightning struck a home on Bergerothweg at 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday and caused a fire in the attic. The lightning strike woke the residents, who called in the fire brigade, 1Limburg reports. Because the flames were under the roof, it took firefighters hours to extinguish it. No one got hurt, but the home was damaged.

And on Monday evening, a lightning strike caused a fire at a wholesaler of snacks and meat on Grotestraat in Waalwijk. Firefighters quickly got the fire under control, but some asbestos was released, Omroep Brabant reported.

More stormy weather could be on the way. Scattered showers are likely in the northeast and east of the Netherlands, as well as in Zeeland during the day. More rain should fall during the overnight hours, with thunderstorms possible in parts of Overijssel, Gelderland, Limburg, and Noord-Brabant, according to the KNMI.

Some heavier precipitation is also expected on Thursday, which should continue in a more mild way on Friday and Saturday. A better chance of partly sunny weather is expected from Monday, with the daily chance of rain next week falling to about 40 percent.