Large-scale fire in Krokstadelva forces evacuation of hundreds

Firefighters and emergency crews are preparing to enter the still-smoldering ruins of Krokstadelva in Drammen on Sunday after a major blaze destroyed more than 100 homes and forced the evacuation of 400 people.

According to the Sør-Øst 110 emergency dispatch centre, a new command team was activated at 08:00 on Sunday, with 80–90 personnel scheduled to work inside the evacuated residential and woodland zones. The forest-fire helicopter service is also being deployed.

Glenn Espen Kustner, watch commander at the dispatch centre, told Dagbladet that crews continue to find pockets of smouldering material both in the housing estate and in the surrounding forest, though the full extent of the forest fire remains unknown.

Evacuation centres were set up at Stenseth school and Scandic hotel Ambassadeur in central Drammen after the fire broke out on Friday afternoon. Røde Kors mobilised 35 volunteers to assist with evacuations and provide support to emergency responders.

No fatalities have been reported, but one firefighter and one civilian were hospitalised with smoke inhalation, along with one Sivilforsvaret volunteer and eight police officers who required medical checks.