Massive fire in Westzaan cocoa factory under control
After fighting a massive fire in a cocoa factory in Westzaan through the night, the fire department finally had the blaze under control on Wednesday morning. At around 8:00 a.m., the local security office, Veiligheidsregio Zaanstreek-Waterland, sent an NL-Alert saying the danger had passed.
The fire at the industrial terrain on Achterspring in Westzaan broke out around 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, NH Nieuws reported. Factory employees reported it to the emergency services. It caused a lot of smoke, prompting an NL-Alert telling locals to keep their windows and doors closed.
The fire department responded in large numbers, with at least 100 firefighters battling the blaze. They used cranes to fight the fire from above and a drone to monitor the situation.
Fighting the fire was extra tricky because cocoa beans are very oily. The fire brigade is still at the scene conducting checks. “There are certain hotspots that we have to keep an eye on,” the department said. A firetruck will stay behind in case any of those hot spots catch fire again.
