Five injured in fire at asylum reception center

Five people were injured in a fire at a reception center for asylum seekers early Wednesday morning. One person was taken into custody with authorities investigators trying to determine if arson was the cause of the blaze, regional broadcaster Omrop Fryslan reported.

The fire was reported just after 12:20 a.m. at the reception center on Jancko Douwamastraat in Sneek, Friesland. The alarm was quickly escalated to tackle the incident, which was in the kitchen of a residential unit. It took firefighters about 45 minutes to get the situation under control, according to ANP.

Three residents were hospitalized for smoke inhalation. Two others had wounds which were treated by ambulance crews. The residential unit where the fire originated was completely destroyed. Other units were evacuated, with dozens of residents temporarily relocated.

Rumors of arson quickly spread among the community, with residents concerned about one specific person staying at the center, the broadcaster reported. Arson was not immediately determined, but was not ruled out, said Mario Kinderman of the regional fire service.