Major fire breaks out at Drachten candy factory
A large warehouse of the Continental Candy Industries candy factory in Drachten was heavily damaged after a large fire spread through the facility early Friday morning. The company's buildings were evacuated, and twelve employees were brought to safety.
There were no injuries. A regional NL-Alert was issued because of the large amount of smoke that was released, Omrop Fryslan reported. The fire department in Friesland advised people to close their windows and shut off ventilation systems to prevent smoke from getting into their homes.
The fire was reported around 1:45 a.m. on Friday, after which several fire brigade trucks arrived on the scene. Due to the size of the fire, a Grip 1 regional emergency was declared. Additional vehicles were then called in to assist. About 40 percent of the building has been completely destroyed according to the fire brigade spokesperson, who also said they have managed to stop the fire halfway through the building.
"The fire is under control and is not spreading further. But we will still be extinguishing it for hours, because the fire is not out yet," fire brigade representative Marten Klaas Brinksma said around six in the morning.
The streets Gaffel, de Fok, de Bolder en de Hemmen have been closed by the fire brigade. "We are located in an industrial area, but there is a residential area across the water. We are also keeping an eye on whether any particles landed in the neighborhood, but for now, it seems alright", the fire brigade spokesperson Marten Klaas Brinksma said.
The company CCI is owned by the Dutch investment company Bencis and has several factories in the Netherlands. 140 people work at the factory in Drachten.
