Fire in built environment

A major fire broke out in an industrial area off the Weesperstraat in Diemen on Wednesday morning, prompting a large-scale emergency response. Nearly two hours before authorities arrived at the scene, a warning went out over the NL-Alert system telling people in the area to avoid exposure to the smoke released during the fire.
The affected building houses a self-storage facility and rental offices. A representative of Storage Share told NL Times their employees were not present at the location when the fire broke out. The company does not know the extent of the damage, and although their own staff members were not hurt, they could not say if there were any injuries.
“Fire with a lot of smoke in Diemen. Stay out of the smoke! Close windows and doors. Switch ventilation systems off,” authorities wrote in an NL-Alert sent in both Dutch and English just before 11:39 a.m. The emergency bulletin was distributed to smartphones and other devices in and around De Sniep and Stammerdijk, extending north towards the A1, and south towards Verrijn Stuartweg. The alert may have been received by people visiting a local horseback riding school, sports facilities, marina, and possibly some others in the Biljmer neighborhoods of Amsterdam-Zuidoost.
Firefighters have been battling the blaze from multiple positions. Crews on the ground and on the rooftop have been working to contain the flames, while an aerial platform has also been deployed to douse the fire from above. The fire was first reported at 10:01 a.m. Emergency services rapidly scaled up the response as the blaze intensified, and eventually declared the incident a major fire at 10:49 a.m.
A few minutes later, authorities declared a Grip 1 regional emergency, a protocol that makes it easier to request assistance from firehouses further away. It also calls on all responding emergency services workers to answer to a single incident commander at the scene. A larger, more powerful water tanker truck was sent to the scene to support firefighting operations. At least one specialized unit is being brought in to get the fire under control
It was not immediately clear what sparked the incident, though AT5 reports suggest the blaze originated in or around the roof of the commercial building. The building is over 2,700 square meters in area, and is in close proximity to other commercial properties, including storage facilities from other companies. There are also residences located near the scene.
It was already clear early on in the response that heavy smoke development could become an issue for people in the area. The presence of smoke generated by the fire led authorities to warn nearby residents and businesses to take precautions.
“Emergency crews are attending a large fire on Weesperstraat in Diemen. Residents experiencing smoke nuisance are advised to keep windows and doors closed and turn off mechanical ventilation systems," the Amsterdam-Amstelland district fire brigade wrote on social media.