Headline: Major Fire Incident in Bergen: Multiple Vehicles and Residential Buildings Damaged, 56 Evacuated
Article:
In the early hours of Monday morning, at around 02:10 AM, emergency services in Bergen were alerted to a significant fire incident. The fire started in multiple vehicles parked near residential buildings in the Sandsli area, with flames quickly spreading to an adjacent house and threatening neighboring structures.
"It was a substantial operation from the start, with intense flames and a lot of smoke," reported Leif Gjesdal, operations leader at the Bergen Fire Department, to NRK. Initially, the fire was reported to be in a container, but it was later ascertained to be in vehicles parked near residential buildings.
The blaze intensified rapidly, and by 02:45 AM, it had spread to a nearby residential building. Seven households were evacuated as a precaution due to the encroaching danger. Fearing that the fire might spread further, firefighters deployed smoke divers to search the building for any potential trapped occupants.
Gjesdal confirmed that the fire posed a significant risk to both nearby buildings and the one behind them. The flames had engulfed two buildings and a carport by the time the fire was brought under control. A total of 56 people were evacuated from their homes.
The operations leader described the fire as challenging, noting that the dense smoke made it difficult for many residents to return to their homes immediately. However, by 04:00 AM, the fire was successfully extinguished, and the fire department had gained control of the situation.
Gjesdal confirmed that there were no reported injuries or missing persons. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the police.
Øyenvitners in the area described the incident as dramatic, with some residents reporting that they woke up to see vehicles fully engulfed in flames. The intense heat and smoke drove many people from their homes, with some using garden hoses to try and dampen the flames before firefighters arrived.
"Det var masse folk ute i nabolaget. De dro ut det de hadde av hageslanger," said Christian Hope, a local resident, referring to the scene where people used garden hoses in a desperate attempt to control the blaze.
