Report of arson at Arnhem center fire, but investigation hasn’t begun; No known victims

There are signs that the devastating fire in the city center of Arnhem on Thursday may have been intentionally set, anonymous sources involved in the emergency response told De Gelderlander. There are no known victims as of yet. The newspaper said that the police are following significant leads that people were spotted close to the area where the fire originated shortly before it began, but District Chief of the Gelderland-Midden Police Erik Bomhof was tightlipped during a press conference that took place in the afternoon, saying only that the full investigation will begin on Friday after the fire is fully extinguished.

“The investigation has started, but it still needs to be ramped up. We have not yet been inside, and that will not happen in the coming hours,” Bromhof said.

The fire quickly spread to other buildings after it broke out around 3:45 a.m. at the bargain store SoLow on the Jansstraat. The fire led to the complete destruction of several historic buildings erected in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Around 25 homes and commercial spaces were damaged during the fire. Many households were evacuated during the overnight fire, causing about 100 people to be displaced. Many residents may not be able to return home until after the weekend.

Even though the flames spread rapidly, it was unlikely anyone was injured or killed in the fire. There are currently no missing persons reports related to the fire, said Albert-Jan van Maren from the Gelderland-Midden Safety Office. However, the fire department has not yet been able to reach all the buildings, he said during the press conference.

“Several buildings have been affected by the fire, but there is also fire and water damage. Some residents will be able to return, but some will not. We will discuss this with them later,” said Deputy Mayor Cathelijne Bouwkamp.

When asked about the cause of the blaze, Bomhof said he could not yet address the issue directly. Spokespersons for the Gelderland-Midden district police also would not issue a statement on the record, when asked about the report in De Gelderlander.

“We cannot say anything about that yet,” a spokesperson told Omroep Gelderland. “It is a complex fire. We have not even entered yet. Only then can we start the investigation.”

“Since this morning we have been busy providing assistance. When possible, we will make further announcements,” Bomhof stated.

Most of the fire has been extinguished as of 4:30 p.m., but a small part is still alight in the buildings that the fire department have not yet been able to reach. No asbestos was released during the fire. A fire department spokesperson did add that it is possible that this still occurs during their efforts to put out the rest of the fire, but it will spread less quickly in that case.

Bouwkamp, praised the fact that many Arnhem residents opened their homes to the people who were evacuated. People were also able to take shelter in the City Hall. All residents have been warned that they may not be able to return to their homes for a few days.