The fire department evacuated the building. According to Omroep Brabant, about seventy international students had to go outside. Around three thirty, the inhabitants of the bottom three floors were able to go back inside.
Footage
The fire started in a house on the fifth floor, at the top of the student complex. The cause is yet to be determined. The fire department brought the fire under control, but smoke and soot have rendered the fifth floor uninhabitable, as well as part of the fourth floor.
It happens ‘relatively often’ that a fire breaks out in a student home, writes the fire department, which gives all kinds of tips to increase safety. For example: don’t leave your mobile phone to charge in your bed. Don’t put crates of beer in front of a door. Be careful using the deep fryer after a night on the town. Clean the dryer filter.
Smoke detectors
The landlord needs to ensure smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are present. The doors of the escape route must also be easy to open, preferably with a turn knob instead of a key (because a key can be lost).
