One person has died and two firefighters have been injured after fire broke out at an apartment block in Maassluis.

Fire crews evacuated 12 flats after the fire on Jongkindstraat broke out at around 8am on Tuesday on the third storey of the building and spread to the fourth floor.

‘When the first colleagues arrived the flames had reached the front and back of the building. A lot of smoke was leaking out as well,’ a spokesman for the safety board told local broadcaster Rijnmond.

One person was found dead inside the building. It has not been confirmed if they were a resident.

One firefighter was injured while trying to force open an apartment door, while another was overcome by the heat of the blaze. Neither is said to be severely hurt.