Media: Craftsman charged after major fire that destroyed nursing home

Suspicion of lack of caution during roof work leads to charges against craftsman after nursing home fire.

The North Jutland Police have charged one of the craftsmen who worked to burn roofing felt at a nursing home in Suldrup, which was destroyed by fire on Saturday, the police chief told TV2 Nord.

The craftsman is charged with violating the Emergency Preparedness Act for not having exercised sufficient caution.

On Saturday, Rebild Municipality had to rehouse 23 residents from Suldrup Elderly Center Himmerlandshave after a roof fire made large parts of the nursing home uninhabitable.

The fire broke out at 1:31 p.m., and it took several hours before the North Jutland Emergency Service could report that the fire was under control.

More than 50 firefighters were dispatched along with fire engines from fire stations in Støvring, Aars, Nibe and Aalborg to contain the flames, which were spreading rapidly in the building’s roof structure.

Along the way, North Jutland Emergency Services announced that the fire had developed so strongly that the roof structure had caught fire. This means that the temperature had become so high that spontaneous ignition occurred, allowing the fire to spread rapidly.

As early as Saturday, the North Jutland Police were able to report that roof work was underway on the building, and that roofing felt was burned onto the roof, among other things. And it is in this connection that, according to TV2 Nord, charges have now been brought against one of the workers.

All residents and staff at the nursing home were evacuated in connection with the fire, and no one was injured.

ritzau