Fire engulfs thatched roof on Uden farm; Authorities let blaze burn under control
A major fire broke out Sunday afternoon at a farm on Hulstheuvel in Uden, where flames engulfed a thatched roof and forced authorities to escalate emergency measures, issue smoke warnings, and ultimately allow the fire to burn in a controlled manner, Omroep Brabant reports.
The blaze started around 12:30 p.m. in the roof of a property consisting of two houses with an adjacent office building. Firefighters later confirmed that the office seems to have escaped damage. By around 3 p.m., the fire department decided to let the fire burn out under control.
The operation was escalated to GRIP 1 around 2:30 p.m., a coordination structure used in the Netherlands when multiple emergency services—including fire, ambulance, and police—need to work together at a major incident.
Around 1:30 p.m., authorities issued an NL-Alert due to heavy smoke in the area. Residents between Hulstheuvel and Lippstadtsingel were instructed to leave their homes. Officials said it was not yet clear how many people were affected.
A large-scale emergency response was deployed. Multiple fire units were dispatched, including a specialized team from Elst trained in fighting thatched-roof fires. Crews from Uden, Veghel, and Zeeland also responded.
Firefighters operated with five fire engines, an aerial ladder truck, and additional support equipment. To secure a sufficient water supply at the rural site, hoses were laid over a long distance from Vijverlaan to Hulstheuvel. Road closures were implemented in the surrounding area.
Other nearby residents were advised to keep windows and doors closed and to turn off mechanical ventilation systems to avoid exposure to smoke.
