Police seek public video and images of Krokstadelva fire

Police investigating Friday’s fast-moving fire in Krokstadelva, Norway, are asking anyone who took pictures or video between 13:30 and 16:00 to submit the material via the force’s tip line 476 96 400.

“This includes dashcams, doorbell cameras, drones and similar devices,” said operations manager Lise Bjørnsund. “We may also need footage from earlier or later on Friday, so anyone with relevant material is asked to keep it until further notice.”

Police say they already have a working theory about where the blaze began but need additional evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events. Sølvi M. Harjo, a senior forensic investigator at Norway’s National Criminal Investigation Service (Kripos), told Dagbladet that large fires leave few physical clues, making civilian images especially valuable.

“Even pictures that don’t show flames can still provide critical information,” Harjo said. “When the damage is this extensive, every extra angle helps us piece together the puzzle.” She stressed that the public should not try to interpret the images themselves but should hand everything to investigators.

Fire officials compared the fire’s spread to the 2014 blaze in Lærdal, where wind-driven flames destroyed large sections of the town. “We relied on information from people who were on the scene,” said Calle Varfjell, section leader at the fire brigade. “One house stood out and became our starting point.”

Technical examinations at the Krokstadelva site cannot begin until the area cools sufficiently, which is expected to take several days. Police have already conducted witness interviews and plan further questioning as they narrow their focus.