Hague home fire caused by charging fatbike; Residents rescued from balcony

A large fire caused by a charging fatbike destroyed a porch home on Vredeoord in The Hague on Monday night. Firefighters rescued six residents and a dog from their balconies with a ladder truck. Three people had to go to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, a spokesperson for the fire brigade told Omroep West.

The fire broke out at around 9:50 p.m. on Monday. According to the fire brigade, the fire started while a fatbike was being charged.

The fire brigade responded to the scene with multiple units. “We had to escalate immediately because access was difficult,” a firefighter told the broadcaster. Ongoing construction work meant they had to detour. The fire hydrant was also blocked.

At the scene, firefighters evacuated eight homes in the burning building. They had to rescue six people and a small dog from their balconies. Three had to go to the hospital with symptoms of smoke inhalation. Paramedics checked another six people over at the scene.

The fire brigade quickly extinguished the fire, but not before it destroyed the home where it started. Some evacuated residents were allowed to return to their homes. But those living in the destroyed apartment and immediately around it had to spend the night elsewhere.