Fire in terraced houses in the landslide area in Gjerdrum – NRK Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
Just before 02.00 on Sunday night, the fire brigade announced that the fire had been extinguished.
– Among other things, a fire extinguishing robot was used. The crews were also allowed to use water in the firefighting work, operator Thomas Silva at Øst 110-central told NTB on Sunday night.
The fire started in a four-person house. The home is located on the edge of the avalanche inside the evacuated area. There was no danger of spreading to inhabited houses.
Due to the danger of landslides, it was not possible for the emergency services to get to the fire, he said duty officer Atle Rønning, at Øst 110-central to NRK on Saturday night.
People gather in Kulturhuset
Mayor of Gjerdrum Anders Østensen says NRK night to Sunday in the municipality has put in extra resources to meet the needs of residents in connection with the fire.
– It takes little before it arouses commitment and fear in the area. We have a resource center that has conducted psychosocial follow-up after the landslide last year, and they have now opened the doors to Kulturhuset, the mayor, who adds that people have already started coming to the house.
– Now I hope that people in that area will soon get their dose. It is so unnecessary for people in that area to have their night’s sleep disturbed by another such incident. We know that this evokes memories, says the mayor.
Østensen says the municipality is investing extra resources to meet what the inhabitants may have to follow in the next few days.
Neighbor: – avalanche night sits in the spinal cord
Steinar Lien lives about 80 meters away from the fire. He stands on the terrace and looks down at the fire when he talks to NRK on Sunday night.
– It’s sad to see, really. It’s sad because we’ve been through so much over the last year. Now, as is well known, it is almost a year since the landslide occurred. Most people who live as close as my wife and I do have been affected in the last year. That landslide night, it sits in the spinal cord, says Lien.
He and his wife have lived in Gjerdrum for 11.5 years.
– Fortunately, the smoke and spark rain are blowing over the avalanche area. It was a period when it burned a lot and then it was a 30 to 40 meter high spark tower, so then we were grateful for the favorable wind direction. If not, this could have been scary, he thinks.
The cause of the fire is unknown
Lien wonders how the fire broke out in the first place.
– It’s strange, because there is no electricity in the house. We wonder about that.
Operations Manager Finn Håvard Aas in the Eastern Police District will not speculate on what could be the cause of the fire.
– There will be some technical investigations this week, but it is asked what is justifiable since the building is so close to the avalanche edge, says Aas.
Must mark the one-year anniversary
The area where the terraced house has been evacuated since the landslide accident last year.
Ten people lost their lives when the landslide took with them nine residential houses with over 30 housing units on 30 December 2020.
The one-year anniversary of the landslide in Gjerdrum will be marked in various ways. Among other things, there will be an open culture house and several gathering places outdoors, in line with the infection control rules. There will also be a concert that will be broadcast online.
Gjerdrum municipality also encourages all residents to put out candles and hang hearts outdoors.