Video: Large fire in Soest restaurant; 17 homes evacuated
A large fire raged in a restaurant in Soest on Monday morning. The fire department evacuated 17 homes, including apartments located above the restaurant, due to the blaze and resulting smoke. As far as is known, no one got hurt.
Veiligheidsregio Utrecht, the office that covers the region’s emergency services, first reported blaze at restaurant Bauers on Burgemeester Grothestraat at 2:41 a.m. “Several fire engines have been dispatched to Grothestraat in Soest, where smoke is coming from the roof,” the Veilighedsregio said. “It is not yet known what exactly is on fire, but there is indeed a fire.”
An hour later, the Veiligheidsregio reported that it had escalated the situation to GRIP 1, which means that all the emergency services present now work under one commanding officer. The smoke was spreading through the neighborhood and the emergency services urged locals to keep their doors and windows closed.
Firefighters got the blaze under control at around 6:33 a.m. No injuries were reported. Evacuated locals will have to wait for the fire brigade to check their homes before they can return.
The Veiligheidsregio warned road users in the area to beware of slippery conditions. Extinguishing water combined with freezing temperatures resulted in icy roads, also on the N234 Biltseweg. A gritter truck was at the scene to spread salt against the iciness.
