Fire destroys two homes in Alkmaar center
A fire destroyed two homes in the city center of Alkmaar overnight. The fire department declared the homes uninhabitable. No one was hurt, said Veilighedsregio Noord-Holland Noord, the office that covers the region’s emergency services.
The fire broke out shortly before 1:00 a.m. on Friday in a home above an ice cream parlor on Mient. The fire brigade was worried that the fire would spread to other buildings in the old city center, so they immediately scaled up their response, deploying several fire engines and ambulances to the scene.
Firefighters managed to get the fire under control about 90 minutes after the first response. The fire was completely extinguished just after 3:00 a.m.
Emergency workers evacuated the residents of surrounding buildings on Mient, Langestraat, and Houttil. They took shelter in a nearby catering establishment. Most could return home after the fire was under control. The city arranged accommodation for those who couldn’t.
