At least six hurt in Arnhem apartment fire overnight

At least six people got hurt in a fire in an apartment building on Millweg in Arnhem during the early hours of Friday morning. Emergency services rushed a woman, the resident of the apartment where the fire started, to a hospital with severe burns. An elderly man and his grandson, the woman’s neighbors, were hospitalized with smoke inhalation, De Gelderlander reported.

The emergency services received the first report of the fire at around 3:30 a.m. The fire department responded with six fire engines and two ladder trucks. The police and multiple ambulances also responded to the scene.

In een appartementencomplex in #Arnhem heeft vannacht een grote #brand gewoed in een appartementencomplex. Daarbij zijn zeker 5 gewonden gevallen. De geëvacueerde omwonenden zijn opgevangen in de nabijgelegen sporthal. @omroepgld https://t.co/3bSXfEN0mM pic.twitter.com/GueMvT2ZLi

— Frank van Dijk (@radiovandijk) December 2, 2022

The fire started on the third floor of the five-floor apartment building with several dozen homes. First responders evacuated all the residents while firefighters began extinguishing the blaze.

The fire brigade quickly got the fire under control, but not before it completely destroyed the apartment it started in. The fire was so intense that it melted the lamps in the gallery, a spokesperson for the fire department said to the newspaper. The cause is not yet clear.

The apartment building is primarily occupied by senior citizens. A Connexxion bus took 32 evacuated residents to a nearby sports hall. They can’t return home yet due to smoke and water damage to their homes.

Mayor Ahmed Marcouch visited the scene of the fire. "What a terrible night," he said on Twitter, addressing the residents. "Fire is a nightmare for all of us. Last night, I saw how you were rescued and taken in at the sports center De Laar. All of Arnhem sympathizes with you, in suspense for the injured and also for the pets."