The residents of the Martinushuis nursing home in Nuland, who had to leave their house on Sunday morning due to a fire, are expected to go home on Sunday evening. To expel time, the community center where the forty evacuated temporary residence is transformed into a football café. “The game is not to be missed.”
They are on the edge of their (roll) chair. The forty residents of the care institution have been in the De Meent community center in Nuland since eleven in the morning. “There are a number of fanatic football fans who really did not want to miss the game,” says crisis coordinator Carlijn van der Steen of the Zorggroep. “They actually wanted to go home on time to watch the competition, but that is not yet possible,” says Van der Steen. “That’s why we made it possible to look here.”
Big fire
On Sunday morning there was a major fire at Event Center Villa Maasdonk in the village. Due to the great worries about the adjacent care home, it was decided to evacuate all 21 residents and the other 19 residents of the sheltered homes.
In addition, almost the entire village ran out to help: “They helped all day, with the evacuation and the search for temporary accommodation. But also with taking care of food or drinks. Really very heartwarming.”
Back home
Although the day started full of excitement, the shock is actually not in the residents at all. “The atmosphere is actually very quiet, partly due to the amount of help. People are sitting at the table, have a chat and play a game .. and now watch PSV-Ajax of course.”
At the moment the employees are waiting for the care home to be released again. “Then we send some employees in that way to change the beds and see if there is no smoke smell,” says Van der Steen. “We assume that everyone is sleeping in their own bed tonight.”
