Injured in fire in ‘illegally inhabited’ hall Aalsmeer: ​​”Nuisance for three weeks”

Local residents saw flames around 7.30 pm in the former building of a Chevrolet dealer next to supermarket Hoogvliet and alerted the emergency services. On arrival, the fire brigade first had to force a lock on a gate to gain access to the site. After that was successful, in addition to an indoor fire, they also found a victim, a spokesperson for the Amsterdam-Amstelland fire brigade told NH Nieuws.

While firefighters extinguished the fire, ambulance personnel took care of the victim. Because the person had suffered burns, he was refrigerated for some time. The victim had also inhaled smoke. After initial care on the spot, he was taken to hospital for further treatment.

It is not known what exactly burned, but according to the spokesperson it was ‘something made of wood’. A police spokesperson says the cause of the fire is being investigated.

Neighbors more nuisance

According to neighbor Vincent Verbon, last night’s fire was the second in a short time. In addition, local residents have complained several times in recent weeks about nuisance from the site, caused by people who illegally live in the building.

“In the past few weeks we first called for noise from neighbors, shouting, all kinds of hassle: arguing, drunk people rattling the fence,” says Verbon. “Then there was a fire here, they had set fire to get it warm.”

When NH Nieuws calls him, he says that he has ‘had nuisance’ from the people staying in the building for three weeks. He suspects that the night the gate was rattled, something went wrong in the building. “It sounded like someone was dying.”

Reporter Nickelas Kok from AAN! Amstelveen says that he was at the address on Sunday 6 March in the evenings because a trauma helicopter was sent there. He watched as a victim with carbon monoxide poisoning was picked up by an ambulance.

“I have not seen a fire,” said Kok. “But I think the residents started a fire and someone inhaled carbon monoxide. The police told me it was probably a suicide attempt and there was no reason to investigate.” The police cannot confirm today that there has been a fire in the building before, but say they were indeed on site on March 6 for an unwellness

The spokesperson does confirm to NH Nieuws that several nuisance reports have been received about the address. The police cannot say anything about the suspicion or the finding of illegal habitation. “If that turns out to be the case, that information will be forwarded to the municipality,” said the police spokesperson.

Private security

The municipality denies that there is a tolerance policy, as neighbor Vincent claims. “Unauthorized persons have sometimes been found during checks. They have been asked to leave,” said spokesman Petra Simonse.

In the plans for the redevelopment, Hoogvliet supermarket will partly be located on the site of the current two vacant business premises. So they will have to change in due course. “All the buildings there that have to be demolished for green park [red.: het ontwikkelplan voor dit gebied] are now being looked at by the project organization. Until then, private security will be deployed,” says Simonse.

View photos from last night’s firefighting effort below.