The alarm came at 11.22. Large parts of the building have been filled with smoke and residents have been evacuated from balconies using ladder trucks.
– What has happened is that a fire has broken out in the basement, which then spread to two stairwells. We have extinguished most of the fire now, says Mikael Lundqvistofficer on duty at the rescue service.
– However, the fire has so far not spread to apartments.
READ MORE: Fire in apartment building – residents evacuated from balconies
Tens of people in need of care
According to the police, about ten people have been in need of care, of which eight people have been taken by ambulance to hospital for a check-up. Two people were initially judged to be seriously injured.
The police have opened a preliminary investigation into aggravated arson. The location will remain cordoned off pending investigation by sniffer dogs and forensics.
Probably planted – burned in several places
– According to the emergency services, there are several sources of fire in the property. It has therefore started to burn in several places at the same time. The probability that it is arson increases with the number of places it has burned, says the police spokesperson Mats Eriksson.
No one has been arrested.
Evacuees receive help at school
The municipality has opened Ronnaskolan where the evacuees can get help.
The municipality’s crisis support group is activated. This means that social services are on site and offer things like clothes and conversation support, says Åsa Zazithe municipality’s press officer.
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