Massive fire destroys textile company in Rotterdam-Hoogvliet
A massive fire broke out late Friday night, completely destroying a textile company in Rotterdam-Hoogvliet. The two-story building, located on Schrijnwerkerstraat, housed Textiel Services, a company specializing in workwear for operators at industrial sites like Shell and Esso in the nearby Botlek area.
The fire started shortly after midnight, quickly engulfing the entire building. The flames, which reached several meters high, consumed the structure within an hour, according to emergency responders. There were no injuries reported, as the building was unoccupied at the time.
The Rotterdam Fire Brigade arrived in large numbers to combat the blaze, which had already spread rapidly due to rows of industrial washing machines catching fire early in the incident.
“There was an entire row of machines on fire,” said Rick de Koning, owner of Textiel Services, visibly distraught as he paced near the burning building, AD reported. “We were a very sustainable company. There were 420 solar panels on the roof, and they caught fire quickly as well. They’re completely destroyed.”
The Rotterdam safety region classified the fire as a "very large fire," requiring multiple fire and emergency services on-site. The scene remained active throughout the night, with crews monitoring for hotspots.
Smoke on the A15 highway
The fire produced significant amounts of smoke that spread over the surrounding area, including the A15 highway. Local safety officials warned residents to keep windows and doors closed and turn off ventilation systems to avoid exposure to the smoke.
Firefighters worked to prevent the flames from spreading to adjacent buildings and successfully contained the fire to the Textiel Services property. However, the company’s facilities were declared a total loss.
To fully extinguish the fire, parts of the building had to be demolished. Authorities confirmed there were no injuries, and the investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
Witnesses reported seeing the glow of the flames from a distance. Employees from nearby businesses also gathered at the scene, some fearing their own workplaces had caught fire.
Employees of the company, which has a staff of 60, stood outside in shock. Several were in tears as they watched the building burn.
De Koning, who founded the company 25 years ago, said he has no idea how the fire could have started. “We had excellent security measures in place,” he said. “I started this company with nothing, and now I have nothing again.”
