A major fire broke out at waste processor AVR in the port area of Rotterdam on Thursday. The fire appeared to be extinguished on Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson for the safety region said, but flared up again in the evening. It turns out to be difficult to get to the fire.
Sending firefighters inside is not possible at the moment, the spokesperson said, and it has not yet been possible to make holes in the building to extinguish the fire from outside. “It is a sturdy building from the sixties, you cannot just get into it. The next step is to pound a hole in the roof with a demolition crane. That sounds unconventional, but it’s the only method we have. Everything is bad with this fire.” About eighty emergency workers are involved in the firefighting work.
If the fire is not extinguished, it will take days before the fire goes out, according to the safety region. “But we don’t want that, because then you will be inconvenienced for days.” For example, smoke can irritate the airways. According to the spokesperson, there is no danger to local residents. “Smoke is always bad for health, but we did not measure any toxic substances.” The safety region advises closing windows and doors.
New destination
The cause of the fire is not yet known, nor is the extent of the damage. The fire started in the turbine house, says an AVR spokesperson. “The heart of the factory, where heat is converted into electricity.” The power plant is currently completely shut down.
This is one of the largest waste processors in the Netherlands, which processes tens of thousands of tons of garbage every week. AVR is now busy sending the incoming material to other places, such as storage areas or other exchanges. “It is possible that we can get part of the plant up and running again within a few days, but it could also take longer.”
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