Tønsberg accelerates fire safety upgrades after deadly blaze

Tønsberg has upgraded roughly half of its 1,100 municipal homes since a fatal fire in 2013 spurred a citywide safety push, Dagbladet reports.

Acting municipal director Frode Hestnes told the newspaper he hopes the recent catastrophic fire in Drammen’s Krokstadelva—where over 100 homes were lost—will serve as a wake-up call for similar areas.

In Tønsberg, a 2013 fire in a municipal property on Severin Kjærsvei killed one person and triggered a major upgrade program. So far, more than 40 million kroner has been spent, with sprinkler systems installed in all rooms of targeted buildings to compensate for missing firewalls between units.

Hestnes said the work began after both the fatal fire and a 2015 regulation requiring pre-1985 buildings to meet at least 1985 safety standards by 2016. He cited limited resources and budget constraints for the slow progress, noting that not all 1,100 homes are covered by the mandate.

The Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) confirmed the 2016 deadline, stating owners “cannot wait” to comply. Tønsberg officials said they are prioritizing upgrades based on available funds.