Major fire at transport company in Frisian town Ie

In the Frisian village of Ie, there was a major fire this evening in a warehouse of a company that supplies agricultural machinery. Several tractors were stored in the building. The fire started in the dashboard of one of the tractors.

Omrop Friesland reports that some individuals refused to leave the building, but eventually came out. Two people suffered smoke inhalation and were treated at the scene by ambulance personnel.

People in the area received an NL Alert calling on them to keep windows and doors closed and to stay away from the fire. Around 9:45 p.m., a new NL Alert reported that the fire was under control. A spokesperson for the safety region reports that approximately half of the warehouse has burned down.

The shed also contained a bottle containing acetylene, an explosive substance that is used, among other things, in welding. The bottle was first cooled with fire extinguishing water, the safety region reports. The spokesperson then reports that a crane is trying to make a hole in the warehouse to get the bottle out.

“The bottle must then be placed in a nearby ditch. We expect this to take a few more hours,” the spokesperson said. Shortly after midnight, the safety region reported that the bottle was cooling in the ditch.

During the fire, shards of solar panels that were on the roof of the building also ended up in the vicinity of the warehouse. reports the safety region. People who find shards in their garden or on the street are advised to clean them up with thick gloves because they are sharp.