A major fire swept though an entire hillside neighbourhood in Drammen during the weekend, destroying more than 100 homes including the residence of the local fire chief. At least 400 people lost everything they owned, in what’s being called the worst fire in Norway for more than 100 years.
Drammen Fire Chief Torgeir Andersen could empathize with all those who lost their homes in the fire that started in a row house on Friday afternoon and quickly spread in dry, unusually hot weather. Andersen’s own home also went up in flames, and he stated in a press release on Saturday afternoon that he has “great understanding for how sad and difficult this situation is for everyone affected.”
He went on to thank the massive emergency response to the fire “and everyone who has contributed to limiting the scope of the damage.” The local fire department went on to claim that Andersen’s “personal situation” was not as important as the work that remained, which included “doing all we can to keep this catastrophe from becoming even greater.”
Scores of firefighters were rushed in from the entire region, along with six helicopters. Emergency response units also contributed the military, civic defense units and the Red Cross. No one was killed and there were no reports of serious personal injury but more than a dozen people including eight police officers suffered from smoke inhalation.
The fire is believed to have started just before 4pm in one unit of a row house complex in Krokstadelva. Police received the first report of the fire at 3:39pm, it spread quickly, was difficult to control and by 9pm, more than 100 homes were damaged or destroyed. The cause of the fire had not been determined by late Saturday afternoon, by which time the weather had changed from hot and dry to chilly and raining.
The entire area was evacuated and more than 400 residents were homeless after the fire. An evacuation center was set up at the Scandic Ambassadeur hotel in Drammen and local officials were scrambling to take care of all those affected. The Red Cross and several other volunteer aid agencies mobilized quickly to help those who so suddenly lost most everything they owned.
There were no reports of any missing persons, and many were away on summer holidays. Scores of other local residents were also mobilizing efforts to gather clothing and other items that victims of the fire will need. Among them was Siv Hansen, who told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) that she could see the fire from her home across the river at Mjøndalen.
“I could see the flames and the smoke, and how massive the fire was,” Hansen told NRK. “I understood very quickly that lots of people will need our help.” She called the response to an appeal she posted on social media as “enormous,” as people started arriving at a hastily set-up receiving station with clothing, dishes, other housewares and toys for children.
Officials at Drammen Kommune (the local municipality, external link to its information site set up after the fire) had also received more than 200 offers of help from local residents that were being registered. Meetings were set up for affected residents that also would be attended by representatives of Norwegian insurance companies and various aid agencies including health care officials.
Both King Harald V and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre sent messages of sympathy and support and Justice Minister Astri Aas-Hansen, who’s responsible for police and emergency response services, was meeting with local officials on Saturday. Crown Prince Haakon planned to visit the area on Sunday.
NewsinEnglish.no/Nina Berglund
