vuurzee in amersfoort: brandweer worstelt urenlang met sneeuiafvalbrand
Amersfoort, woensdag, 3 juni 2026.
Een enorme vuurzee in Amersfoort hield de brandweer urenlang bezig. De brand woedde in een grote berg snoeiafval op een braakliggend terrein in Vathorst. Blussen vanaf de buitenkant bood weinig resultaat. De kern van de brand was nauwelijks bereikbaar. Pas toen een sloopkraan ter plekke arriveerde, kon de brandweer effectief ingrijpen. De intense brand produceerde dikke rook die woonwijken als Vathorst en Hoevelaken in de greep hield. Bewoners kregen advies ramen en deuren gesloten te houden. De oorzaak van de brand is nog onduidelijk. Bij de locatie werd een jerrycan gevonden, die nu wordt onderzocht.
start of the fire and initial response
The fire broke out late on June 2, 2026, around 21:50 near the Lindeboomseweg in Amersfoort [4]. It involved a large pile of green waste stored on a vacant lot belonging to Smink Afvalverwerking [4]. Initial reports described thick smoke spreading quickly through nearby areas [6]. The local fire department responded immediately but faced difficulties accessing the core of the blaze due to the site’s layout [1]. They escalated the situation to “very large fire,” calling reinforcements from surrounding regions [4].
challenges in firefighting operations
Firefighters discovered that external extinguishing methods were ineffective against burning pruning waste [1]. The dense nature of the pile prevented water from reaching deep-seated flames [1]. As a result, the fire continued to smolder and emit heavy smoke overnight [6]. To improve access, authorities decided to deploy a sorting and demolition crane equipped with a grabber [1]. This machinery arrived later, delaying targeted suppression efforts until it could safely operate on-site [1]. Until then, crews focused on containment rather than full extinguishment [6].
impact on residential neighborhoods
Smoke from the fire spread across several residential districts including Vathorst, Hoevelaken, Kattenbroek, Hoogland, and Nieuwland [6]. Residents reported strong odors and reduced visibility during the night [6]. The Veiligheidsregio Utrecht advised people to keep windows and doors closed and turn off ventilation systems [1][6]. Despite widespread smoke dispersion, air quality monitoring did not detect elevated carbon monoxide levels [1]. Authorities determined there was no immediate health risk severe enough to trigger an NL-Alert warning system [1].
resolution and investigation underway
With the help of specialized equipment, firefighters gradually dismantled and saturated the burning debris pile [6]. Full control over the fire was achieved by Wednesday morning, June 3, when the signal “fire under control” was issued [1]. The site was handed back to the owner for ongoing monitoring [6]. Police located a fuel container near the origin point and seized it for forensic analysis [4]. Whether this item contributed to ignition remains uncertain pending further examination [4]. No injuries were reported during the incident [4].