Fires leave Krokstadelva residents homeless but united by pets’ safe return

KROKSTADELVA/OSLO (Dagbladet): Hundreds of people lost their homes in a major fire in Krokstadelva on Friday, with more than 100 housing units destroyed and around 400 residents evacuated. Among those displaced, some also feared for pets still missing in the aftermath.

Øyvind Lønne and his pregnant partner Alexandra Skog were among the hardest hit. They returned from vacation to find their home gone, though their three cats—Bella, Angelina and Gabriel—had escaped the flames. Angelina and Gabriel were found the first night, singed and frightened but alive. Bella vanished until Saturday, when passers-by spotted her in a nearby forest and reunited her with her owners.

“It’s going as well as can be expected under the circumstances,” Lønne told Dagbladet. “We’ve managed to find our animals. Things can be rebuilt; we’ll deal with that later. For now we can at least take a breather.”

While grateful no one was injured, Lønne acknowledged the emotional toll. “You feel helpless. It’s hard to keep a cool head when you see, out of the corner of your eye, that the house and all our memories are gone.” He has tried to shield his partner from the devastation by keeping her away from the ruins.

Police suspect the blaze may have been accidental or caused by spontaneous combustion. Meanwhile, volunteers with local cat rescue groups continue searching for other missing pets and setting out food and water in the affected area.