Large warehouse fire near Schiphol disrupts one runway
Firefighters brought the Aalsmeer warehouse fire under control after about three hours, with five nearby homes evacuated and one Schiphol runway out of use.
Update ·
Fire brought under control after about three hours; five nearby homes were evacuated, authorities say.
Also in:Nederlands
A large fire broke out in a warehouse storing furniture and cars in Aalsmeer, in the Netherlands, on Monday afternoon, sending smoke visible as far as Amsterdam, Dutch fire services said. Firefighters brought the blaze under control by around 16:15, roughly three hours after the first report, the Amsterdam-Amstelland safety region said.
The fire was reported shortly after 13:00 at a warehouse on the Aalsmeerderweg, according to Het Parool and AD. Flames broke through the roof and the local safety region raised the incident to crisis level Grip-1, meaning several emergency services coordinated their response, Het Parool reported. Several bangs were heard near the building, and firefighters were investigating the cause, Het Parool said.
Five homes near the warehouse were evacuated because of the smoke, with residents taken in elsewhere, Het Parool and AD reported. Five fire engines, two aerial platforms and additional equipment were deployed, AD reported, citing a spokesperson for the Amsterdam-Amstelland safety region. Cars stored inside the warehouse helped the fire spread quickly, the spokesperson said.
Firefighters said the building itself could not be saved and fought the blaze from the outside; police closed roads around the site. A crane was being sent to the Aalsmeerderweg to demolish the structure so crews could safely finish extinguishing the remains, AD reported.
Dark smoke plumes from the fire were visible over Amsterdam and could also be seen in Nieuwkoop, several kilometres further away, AD reported. Firefighters urged nearby residents to keep windows and doors shut and to switch off mechanical ventilation because of the smoke.
The fire broke out near Schiphol airport, and air traffic control took the Buitenveldertbaan runway out of use as a precaution, Het Parool reported. A Schiphol spokesperson said the fire was not affecting flights to or from the airport, as other runways were being used instead. Fire crews sent measurement teams to the area around Schiphol to check for harmful substances in the air, the safety region said.
No casualties had been reported as of Monday afternoon, and the cause of the fire remained unknown.
What we know
- 2+ outlets · AD, Het Parool +1 A large fire broke out in a furniture and car warehouse on the Aalsmeerderweg in Aalsmeer on Monday afternoon, and was brought under control by about 16:15.
- 2+ outlets · AD, Het Parool Five nearby homes were evacuated because of the smoke; residents were taken in elsewhere.
- 1 outlet · AD The local safety region raised the response to crisis level Grip-1; five fire engines and two aerial platforms were deployed.
- 2+ outlets · AD, Het Parool Smoke was visible as far as Amsterdam and Nieuwkoop; a crane was sent to demolish the building so crews could safely finish extinguishing it.
- 2+ outlets · De Telegraaf, Het Parool Schiphol's Buitenveldertbaan runway was taken out of use as a precaution, though the airport said flights were not affected.
- 2+ outlets · AD, Het Parool No casualties had been reported and the cause was not yet known.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed The cause of the fire
- Unconfirmed Whether there were any casualties
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The fire's location close to Schiphol, one of Europe's busiest airports, meant authorities had to take a runway out of use and check the surrounding air for harmful substances as a precaution, even though the airport said the disruption did not affect flights. The smoke plume reaching Nieuwkoop, several kilometres away, and the evacuation of five nearby homes show how large the blaze was before crews brought it under control.
Updates
·
Fire brought under control after about three hours; five nearby homes were evacuated, authorities say.
First published.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 2 countries.
- AD: Zeer grote brand in loods vol meubels in Aalsmeer, rookwolken van ver te zien
- Het Parool: Zeer grote brand in loods in Aalsmeer
- De Telegraaf: Grote brand in loods bij Schiphol: mogelijk vertragingen omdat Buitenveldertbaan niet gebruikt kan worden
- Het Parool: Zeer grote brand in loods in Aalsmeer: woningen ontruimd, geen hinder voor vliegverkeer
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- Where did the fire happen?
- In a furniture and car warehouse on the Aalsmeerderweg in Aalsmeer, near Amsterdam and Schiphol airport.
- Did the fire affect flights at Schiphol?
- One runway, the Buitenveldertbaan, was taken out of use as a precaution, but a Schiphol spokesperson said flights were not affected.
- Were there any injuries or evacuations?
- No casualties had been reported, but five nearby homes were evacuated because of the smoke.
This article was written with AI assistance from 4 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.