Video: Arson suspected after fire destroys Wijdenes restaurant; Racist text on walls
A very large fire destroyed the Ora Restaurant & Cafe on Blokdijk in Wijdenes overnight. No one was injured. The police suspect arson, partly due to racist phrases were found spray-painted onto the restaurant’s walls, and are investigating, NH Nieuws reported.
The fire brigade responded to the scene at around 3:15 a.m. and quickly scaled up to a “very large fire.” At least six fire engines and a hydraulic platform were deployed to fight the blaze.
Just before 7:00 a.m., the fire brigade reported that the fire was under control and would not spread further, though firefighters were still working on extinguishing it.
The police suspect arson, a spokesperson told NH Nieuws. Racist slogans, including “kanker turk” and “oprotten,” were found spray-painted onto the building’s walls. These translate loosely to “cancer Turk” and “fuck off,” from Dutch to English.
The police are investigating whether the vandalism is related to the fire, and forensic investigators are collecting trace evidence from the scene.
Firefighters had to demolish part of the restaurant to reach the flames. The building is considered a total loss.
