Video: Large fire in Rotterdam leaves Noordereiland homes in ruins
A large fire broke out early Friday morning at a building on Thorbeckestraat on Noordereiland in Rotterdam, effectively destroying the residences in the home despite hours-long efforts from emergency responders. Fire crews, deployed in multiple units, responded after the fire was reported at 3:35 a.m. on the third floor of a residential building, according to the Rijnmond Regional Safety Office.
No one was inside the affected unit, and the six residences in the building were all evacuated as firefighters tried to prevent the flames from jumping to neighboring buildings. Even minutes after their response, firefighters warned that the the fire had spread through the Thorbeckestraat building and penetrated through the roof.
"The fire brigade is not entering," rescue workers said. "Due to the risk of collapse, the fire is being fought from the outside."
As the flames spread through the roof, the alarm was repeatedly escalated, bringing more personnel and equipment to the scene. The alarm was raised to a Grip 1 regional emergency, the first stage in a protocol which calls for all emergency responders to coordinate under a single incident commander.
Firefighters were still working to bring the blaze under control four hours later. The residences within the building were likely to be completely destroyed, the emergency services office said.
"The homes were completely burned out and there is enormous water damage," a spokesperson for the region safety office told ANP. Another 12 residential units in neighboring buildings were evacuated as a precaution. Affected residents were able to keep warm in a bus that was sent to the scene.
Nearby residents were advised to close windows and doors and turn off ventilation systems due to heavy smoke in the area.
