Video: Three injured in Almelo fire; One hurt in Rockanje house fire
A major fire in an Almelo apartment building early Monday morning left one resident seriously injured and at least three others treated for smoke inhalation, while a separate house fire in Rockanje on Sunday evening hospitalized one person and displaced multiple households.
The Almelo blaze broke out around 5:50 a.m. in a flat on Pieter de Hoochstraat. Heavy smoke filled the building, prompting firefighters to evacuate residents via balconies.
One occupant was seriously injured and transported to the hospital. Two others were taken to the hospital for precautionary checks, while at least one more resident received treatment at the scene for smoke inhalation.
Fire crews brought the fire under control by about 7:00 a.m., after rapidly scaling up the response. Units from Almelo, Wierden, Vriezenveen, Borne, Hengelo, and Nijverdal were deployed.
“Residents were rescued via balconies and carefully brought down,” said Fire Department spokesperson Tonnis Goosen. “Because of the smoke, we removed several people from their apartments.”
Nearby buildings also suffered smoke and soot damage. Residents were advised to close windows and doors and turn off ventilation, though the warning was later lifted. Salvage, the disaster relief organization, is coordinating with residents on when they can safely return. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Meanwhile, in Rockanje, a Sunday evening fire that started at around 21:45 destroyed a house on Groene Kruisstraat and forced the evacuation of three neighboring homes. One resident was hospitalized. Thick smoke and flames were visible from the street, and neighbors described the fire spreading rapidly.
“Within five minutes the whole house was in flames,” said a neighbor. “The ceilings are wooden, so the fire spread quickly. Flames came out of the windows, the window frames warped from the heat, and the concrete was damaged.”
Utility companies Evides and Stedin shut off gas, water, and electricity as a precaution. One neighbor described the impact on the community: “Many people know each other here. Then you see what it does to people. That does hurt a little.”
The homes surrounding the Rockanje fire are currently uninhabitable. Displaced residents have been temporarily placed in a hotel.
