A large part of a greenhouse complex in Etten-Leur was destroyed by a fire on Monday night. According to the fire service, a third of the complex on Bankenstraat has been lost. No one was inside when the fire broke out.
Solar panels were installed on part of the burned-down greenhouses. Remnants of this have ended up in meadows in an area of 500 meters around the seat of the fire. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Lots of smoke
The fire started around 12:30 a.m. and spread “with lightning speed”, the fire service reported. The smoke also moved into residential areas. Local residents were advised to close windows and doors and to turn off ventilation if they were bothered by the smoke.
Extra vehicles were deployed to have sufficient fire extinguishing water. By a quarter past one the greatest danger of the fire spreading had passed and the fire was under control at two o’clock. The fire brigade: “Fortunately, most of the complex has been preserved.”
Be careful with pieces of solar panels
The fire brigade says that the remains of the panels are non-toxic and ‘can simply be picked up and thrown away with residual waste.’ Animals should not come into contact with the remains, because they can swallow sharp particles. When cleaning up the stuff, the fire brigade advises preferably to do so with protective gloves. The material may be sharp and soot particles may adhere to it.
Recently also a major fire in Etten-Leur
At the beginning of May, after a fire elsewhere in Etten-Leur, particles from solar panels also ended up in meadows. But according to the Central and West Brabant Security Region, the size cannot now be compared to the consequences of the major fire at Axell Logistics. This company is located more than 2 kilometers from the greenhouse complex, where the fire raged last night.
A special company had come to the rescue of the owner of the meadows. Those meadows were then quickly cleaned with a large vacuum cleaner.