Brannoffer criticises former Oslo mayor’s Facebook post on Krokstadelva fire

Mona Eide, who lost her home in Friday’s wildfire in Krokstadelva, said she found former Oslo mayor Fabian Stang’s Facebook post “utterly disrespectful” after reading it on Sunday.

Stang, a Conservative Party politician, wrote that while the blaze was an “unimaginable” disaster for Drammen and Norway, traffic fatalities receive far less national attention despite claiming hundreds of lives each year. His post appeared shortly after Norway recorded twelve traffic deaths in a single week.

Eide told Dagbladet she was still in shock after evacuating her home and broke down in tears when she saw the post. “I lost my entire house on Friday. Then I open Facebook today and read this. It’s simply disrespectful,” she said.

She acknowledged the broader point about traffic safety but argued the timing was wrong. “The fire is still burning. The fire is not even out,” she said, adding that Drammens’ mayor, Kjell Arne Hermansen, had shown far greater empathy during local meetings with residents.

Stang later told Dagbladet via SMS that his post was not intended to cause hurt. “I have full understanding for how painful it is to lose your home and everything you own,” he wrote. “At the same time, it has struck me that we should do more for the families of those who die in traffic and other accidents.”

The post has since been deleted.