Poles Fled from the Fire in Drammen. "We Had a Few Minutes"
More than 500 people cannot return to their homes after a massive fire in a housing estate near Drammen. The fire destroyed over 100 houses and apartments, and it was only brought under control after heavy rain on Saturday. Among the evacuees were Poles who had just a few minutes to leave their buildings.
The fire in Krokstadelva is one of the most tragic disasters in modern Norway.
Fot. zdjęcie poglądowe; iStock za: Frende Forsikring
The fire broke out on Friday, July 17, after 3 p.m. in the Stenseth estate in Krokstadelva near Drammen. The flames quickly engulfed several row houses, and strong winds and temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius made rescue operations difficult. Residents were ordered to evacuate immediately. Some spent the night in hotels in the city center, not knowing what condition their homes were in.
A Few Minutes to Escape. Poles Await Information
Grzegorz has been living with his family in the estate where the fire broke out for two months. In an interview with the Polish Press Agency (PAP), he said that police ordered residents to leave their homes immediately. The family had only a few minutes to do so. They fled when the flames were just dozens of meters from the building.
Evacuees could not immediately assess the extent of the damage. Emergency services informed Grzegorz's family that the fire had changed direction and probably did not reach their home. However, the residents still remained in the hotel, waiting for the opportunity to return to the estate and assess the condition of their building.
"We don't know exactly what condition the house is in. We haven't yet had the chance to see it with our own eyes. Emergency services told us that the fire changed direction and did not reach our house. We might know more on Saturday afternoon. For now, we remain in the hotel," Grzegorz reported.
Evacuees could not immediately assess the extent of the damage. Emergency services informed Grzegorz's family that the fire had changed direction and probably did not reach their home. However, the residents still remained in the hotel, waiting for the opportunity to return to the estate and assess the condition of their building.
"We don't know exactly what condition the house is in. We haven't yet had the chance to see it with our own eyes. Emergency services told us that the fire changed direction and did not reach our house. We might know more on Saturday afternoon. For now, we remain in the hotel," Grzegorz reported.
NORWAY A fierce fire that broke out in a home in the Krokstadelva residential area near Drammen— south of the country, about 40 km from Oslo—destroyed more than a hundred houses on Saturday, July 18, as firefighting crews struggled to contain flames fanned by strong winds. pic.twitter.com/nq7ZGtGojj
— Nanana365 (@nanana365media) July 18, 2026
Downpour Helped Firefighters. Drones Monitor the Burnt Area
The fire was brought under control on Saturday morning when heavy rain fell over Drammen. Firefighters announced that extinguishing the smoldering remains would take many more hours. The ruins of the buildings and the remnants of the forest are being monitored using drones. The full extent of material losses is still unknown.
Several dozen fire brigades from southern Norway took part in the operation. Civil Defense was also mobilized, and six helicopters carried out firefighting operations from the air. One firefighter and six police officers were hospitalized with symptoms of smoke inhalation. Police have not received any reports of missing persons.
Several dozen fire brigades from southern Norway took part in the operation. Civil Defense was also mobilized, and six helicopters carried out firefighting operations from the air. One firefighter and six police officers were hospitalized with symptoms of smoke inhalation. Police have not received any reports of missing persons.
The Catholic parish of St. Lawrence in Drammen has declared help for families in need of support. "We are ready to help any family in need of support," said Fr. Waldemar Bożek from the Catholic parish of St. Lawrence in Drammen in an interview with PAP.
According to estimates, Poles make up about 2–3 percent of Norway's 5.6 million population. However, only a few Polish citizens lived in the estate affected by the fire.
According to estimates, Poles make up about 2–3 percent of Norway's 5.6 million population. However, only a few Polish citizens lived in the estate affected by the fire.
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