Resident killed in overnight house fire in Akkrum

A resident died in a fierce overnight house fire early Thursday after flames tore through a semi-detached home on the Koarte Mient in Akkrum, Leeuwarder Courant reported.

The fire broke out during the night from Wednesday into Thursday. Firefighters from Akkrum were alerted at about 1:40 a.m. and arrived to find flames already bursting from the semi-detached house. Because of the intensity of the blaze, the emergency dispatcher quickly escalated the response to a medium fire.

Upon arrival of the first fire engine, flames were already shooting out of the house. Firefighters immediately began extinguishing the blaze and brought the fire, which was burning on the ground floor, under control relatively quickly.

Fire crews from Grou were sent with a fire engine, and firefighters from Leeuwarden were dispatched with an aerial platform. The aerial ladder was ultimately not needed.

During firefighting operations, crews removed a person from the house. Despite rescue efforts, the victim could not be saved and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police later confirmed the victim was the resident of the home.