Putting out fires is hard work in itself, but when it is already very hot outside, it becomes an even more intense job. The Zeeland fire brigade team that was called up to fight a barn fire in Langenboom also experienced this. The firefighters were overcome by the heat, due to the combination of the fire and the high outside temperature. A neighbor down the road offered his swimming pool so the firefighters could cool off.
The fire raged on Magnoliastraat in Langenboom. A barn has burned down behind a house. The occupant of the house was injured and had to be taken to hospital by ambulance.
Several firefighters overheated. In the end, they were all overcome by the heat. A fire brigade from Grave had to be called in to finish the job.
The neighbors in a side street had a swimming pool in the garden and provided cooling for the overheated team. “Those men were destroyed by the heat,” says the neighbor. “So I said, ‘Dive in!’ They were in it with nine men. In any case, they were grateful.”
The neighbor himself did not suffer any damage from the fire: “Here and there some ash fell. And I went forward with the garden hose to keep things wet. Fortunately, that was all.”
