Firefighters tackling a huge blaze have warned that people could be stuck under rubble for several days after centuries-old buildings went up in flames.
Sixty to eighty people have been evacuated amid the large fire in the Arnhem, a city in the Netherlands. The blaze, which began last night, continued on Thursday morning and has spread to a number of historic buildings, forcing the closure of a large area of the city centre.
The fire service have warned of a 'high risk of collapse' for affected buildings, and say it will take several days to establish whether there are people stuck under the rubble. Some 200 firefighters are trying to tackle the flames, and it is feared possible carcinogenic asbestos has been released.
Police broke down doors last night to evacuate some people from buildings as the fire rapidly spread. A number of shops have been gutted by the blaze, while local residents have been advised to stay away from smoke over fears of exposure to asbestos.
A fire department spokesperson told Dutch media this morning: "We consider the entire block lost. We are still afraid that facades will collapse. We now have a grip on the fire, though it is not yet 'under control'.
"We are still working with a hundred people to extinguish the fire, and at the height of the fire there were 150 to 200. It will certainly take the whole day and evening, and the centre will be closed for a long time."
"The police have done everything they could to get as many people out of their homes as possible in time, doors have been broken open. But we will probably only know in a few days whether there are still people under the rubble. 60 to 100 people have been taken in at the shelter in the Stadskanoor."
All shops in the city centre will remain closed today, and special bus services have been put in place to take residents to the local hospital. Deputy mayor Cathelijne Bouwkamp advised people in the city centre to seek shelter with friends and family, while a number of local businesses - including a sauna - have opened their doors to those displaced by the fire.
No casualties have been reported so far, though officials have stressed the ongoing danger posed by the fire. Mayor Ahmed Marcouch announced on Thursday morning that he had cut short his holiday and would flying back to help coordinate the local response. He described the impact of the blaze on the city as "enormous" and offered his thoughts to all affected residents and businesses.