Video: House fire in Almelo leaves 8 units uninhabitable; Crematorium blaze hits Heeze

A basement fire in an apartment building in Almelo left eight units uninhabitable and forced multiple residents to be rescued, while a separate blaze at a crematorium in Heeze later that day was quickly contained but left its cause unclear.

The Almelo fire broke out late Saturday afternoon in the basement of a flat on Hofkampstraat. Firefighters rescued eight people from their balconies.

All residents eventually left the building safely. The fire was extinguished around 7 p.m., and authorities declared it under control by about 8 p.m. The cause remains unknown.

Eight apartments have been declared uninhabitable, and displaced residents are being housed nearby. Five people were evaluated by ambulance personnel, but none required hospitalization. Fire crews conducted a follow-up inspection to ensure the fire had been fully extinguished.

In Heeze, a fire broke out Saturday evening at a crematorium, originating around the cremation oven, Omroep Brabant reports. Firefighters brought the blaze under control quickly and ventilated the building due to smoke. A burned handle from a coffin was reportedly found lying outside the building’s entrance.