Police in Bergen said they weren’t ruling out arson as they continued to investigate another major fire in wooden buildings downtown. Four people suffered smoke inhalation and others were forced to make dramatic escapes from the burning houses Saturday morning.
The fire was first reported shortly after 7am and the white-painted wooden houses on Vaskerelven and Rummelhoffsmauet turned quickly into an inferno. Three people had to be rescued down the ladder of a fire truck, while a fourth person had to jump from a second-floor window to escape the flames.
An investigation into the cause of the fire was in full swing on Monday and police said they already had strong leads. They believe the fire started outside the buidlings and were calling for tips from the public. Asked whether that suggested arson was suspected, Jan Martin Skulstad of the Hordaland Police District said it was “too early to conclude anything like that.”
It was the latest in a string of fires to hit historic wooden buildings in Bergen. Residents were being questioned throughout the weekend.
newsinenglish.no staff
