City Box Fire

EuropeSelfStorage.com — 26-11-2009, Amsterdam, Billowing clouds of black smoke can be seen throughout Amsterdam at this time as a huge fire is raging in a large self-storage facility.

The fire broke out at 11:30 this morning in the storage building of City Box — a self storage company with facilities throughout the Netherlands.

Eyewitnesses told local news television stations that the fire has expanded throughout the building, which houses various businesses besides the storage facility.

It is as yet unclear how the fire started, but a City Box spokesperson told local newscasters that work was being performed on an elevator inside the building at the time the fire broke out.

By mid afteroon the Fire Department determined no dangerous materials were stored in the building.

Earlier in Amsterdam-North the combination air-raid/alarm sirens briefly sounded, indicating that locals should tune in to news stations. People have been advised to keep windows and doors closed.

The Amsterdam fire brigade is fighting the fire with many engines, including its fire boat, Jan van der Heijden III.

The self storage facility housed belongings of some 900 private and business customers. City Box has provided a special phone number for its customers: 020 – 511 2566.

Update: At 3:30 pm the fire was brought under control by the ten fire engines on the scene.

An Amsterdam fire department spokesperson said firefighters will continue extinguishing the remaining flames throughout the night.

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