Early-morning apartment fire in Helmond forces residents outside

A smoldering fire broke out early Saturday morning in an apartment complex on Kerkstraat-Zuid in Helmond. A building alarm alerted residents and prompted them to evacuate before firefighters arrived, Omroep Brabant reported.

The fire was discovered at about 6:15 a.m. in an apartment on the first floor of the complex, authorities said. The building’s alarm system activated itself, and residents who were present were already outside by the time emergency crews arrived.

Firefighters quickly determined that the blaze was a smoldering fire in the kitchen of the affected apartment. The resident of that unit was standing outside with other occupants when firefighters arrived. It is not known whether the resident was aware that a fire had been burning inside his apartment.

The fire was quickly brought under control, Omroep Brabant said. No injuries were reported, and there was no immediate indication of serious damage beyond the apartment involved.