Video: Apartment fire in Den Helder injures 11, sends 6 to hospital; Asbestos suspected
A nighttime fire in an apartment building in Den Helder injured 11 people, sent six to the hospital, and led authorities to cordon off the area after discovering material described as “asbestos-suspected,” according to Veiligheidsregio Noord-Holland Noord.
The fire broke out shortly after midnight Saturday in an apartment block on Schoenerstraat in the southern part of Den Helder. Flames were confined to a single apartment on the first floor, but smoke spread to neighboring units.
Emergency officials reported that they brought the blaze under control around 1:45 a.m., and another report indicated it was fully out by about 3 a.m.
Six residents were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Five others were treated at the scene by ambulance crews. Seven ambulances responded to the incident, authorities said.
Five apartments surrounding the burned unit sustained smoke damage. Because residents could not safely use the stairwell, firefighters evacuated them from their balconies using a ladder truck. Displaced residents were sheltered in a hotel overnight.
After the fire, officials found material at the front of the building that the safety region described as “asbestos-suspected material." As a precaution, the area was sealed off with orange tape. A specialized company has been called in to determine whether the material is in fact asbestos.
