Massive waste facility fire in Westelijk Havengebied sends smoke across Amsterdam
A large fire broke out Saturday afternoon at a waste processing facility in the Westelijk Havengebied, producing a thick black smoke plume visible across Amsterdam and as far away as Almere and Beverwijk, Noord-Holland. No one was injured, and the fire was fully extinguished about two hours after it started, AT5 reported.
Firefighters said the fire involved a pile of bulky waste, including mattresses and car tires, but the exact cause is still under investigation.
The fire service received the initial report at about 2:10 p.m. Almost immediately, authorities escalated the incident to a “large fire” response, deploying multiple fire engines to the scene to contain the blaze. The fire was brought under control and extinguished roughly two hours after it began, around 4:10 p.m.
A black smoke cloud rose above the facility and spread widely, with residents across Amsterdam reporting visibility of the plume. AT5 also received images and footage from Almere and Beverwijk, both in Noord-Holland, showing the smoke drifting across the region. Authorities advised residents affected by the smoke to keep windows and doors closed.
A fire department spokesperson said the response crews took additional precautions due to warm summer conditions. “It is, of course, hot outside, and they are doing heavy work. So that means they are being rotated more quickly,” the spokesperson said.
