Second body found in rubble of Arnhem apartment complex fire

A second body was found at the scene where a large fire raged on De Wiltstraat in Arnhem on Tuesday morning. The police announced the discovery of a first body that evening, and the announcement of the second body was made late Wednesday afternoon. Another person was also injured.

"The investigation into the identity of the two victims is ongoing," said the police. People living in the area told local media outlets that one of the victims is a female resident of one of the affected homes.

The fire broke out early Tuesday morning in the Sint Marten district. Firefighters needed more than six hours to bring the fire under control. Three homes are uninhabitable for the time being, said Mayor Ahmed Marcouch. He described it as a "very intense fire that has had a lot of impact in the area."

It is still unknown how the fire started. The cause is being investigated. One local resident was taken to hospital on Tuesday, partly because he had inhaled a great deal of smoke.

The fire may have started in a barn with a residence above it. The building has been linked to nuisance complaints from other local residents. Marcouch wrote in a letter that violations had indeed been found there and enforcement action had been taken "including administrative coercion for which proceedings are pending."

He thanked the emergency services and the entrepreneurs in the area who have taken care of the people affected by the fire. "All help and involvement have been of great value in this tragic event."