Industrial site zoned off after asbestos released in fire

Part of an industrial estate in Noord-Holland province has been zoned off after asbestos was released during a large fire on Tuesday.

The blaze broke out at a car dealer’s premises in Schagen, near Alkmaar, at around 10.45pm and raged for several hours until firefighters brought it under control.

Later in the evening the municipal council issued an emergency order declaring several streets near the building on the De Fok industrial estate out of bounds. Anyone entering the area without permission risks a €5,500 fine.

An NL-Alert was sent out to local residents and workers advising them to stay indoors because of the risk of asbestos in the air.

Locals were also advised to look out for asbestos particles on the ground and to check their shoes, to avoid spreading the toxic substance. A specialist car wash was set up to spray vehicles that were parked nearby.

Nobody was injured, but the owner of the car dealership was checked by ambulance workers on the site, the safety board said.

The cause of the fire is being investigated. Safety board spokesman Roy van de Water said: “Works were going on when the fire broke out, so it looks as if something may have gone wrong there.”