Trash fire in Nijmegen spreads to nearby apartment building, forces evacuations
A fire that began in two trash containers behind Priemstraat in Nijmegen early Saturday morning spread to a nearby building containing five apartments, forcing the evacuation of guests and prompting a police safety inspection that included forcing open the door of a café, authorities and witnesses told De Gelderlander.
The fire broke out in containers at the rear of Café Franco James and quickly escalated. The containers were completely destroyed. Fire crews later forced entry into the café to ensure nothing inside was still smoldering. No damage was found inside the café.
A nearby short-stay accommodation—housing temporary residents such as expats and people between homes—suffered soot and water damage after the fire spread to the adjacent structure.
Residents said they were awakened around 5 a.m. as police responded to the scene. One resident said they were pulled from bed by police around that time and described the incident as startling but quickly brought under control, adding that their apartment was not affected.
A witness in the nearby Oude Haven area told De Gelderlander that flames were visible from the building before emergency services arrived. Firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading further through the Vinkegas hof area, which contains numerous historic buildings. Officials said the rapid response limited overall damage and prevented injuries.
Soot and water damage were reported in the affected buildings, though authorities said the overall impact remained relatively limited. Café owner Jonathan van Zwam said he was relieved the fire did not spread further and noted that the situation could have ended far worse.
