Huge fire inside Lunde by Dragsvik outside Balestrand – news Vestland

It was a dramatic night for the eight in the Mohamad Ali family in Dragsvik in Sogndal municipality on Tuesday night. They came from Syria to Balestrand in 2016. No one in the family of eight was injured, but they are distressed after they lost several hundred animals, both hens, chickens, pigeons, quail and rabbits, in the fire. The animals were divided between a barn and the outhouse. They were mainly for own food production. – We heard the sound of them and that they said “come and help us”, but we were unable to help them. It was very sad and painful, says daughter Hind Jehad Mohamad Ali. Only around 10 hens were saved from the flames which consumed both the coop and the outhouse. This hen survived the fire. Photo: Sondre Dalaker / news The 16-year-old said that his father was in the garage fixing the car and his mother in the kitchen when the fire was discovered. – My siblings and I slept. Suddenly my father heard the chickens screaming and saw a fire. He quickly entered the house, and my mother called the fire department. She says that she, her parents and her seven siblings aged 8–23 are doing well. – None of us were injured, but we feel sorry for the animals. And we are happy that the house we live in did not burn down. Just after midnight, the fire service was alerted to a major fire.VIDEO: KJELL RUNE SVÆREN Was engulfed in flames It was just before midnight that the fire service was notified of a major fire at Lunde in Sogndal municipality. The town where the fire was located is between Balestrand and Dragsvik ferry quay. – When the fire brigade arrived, the fire was over, says operations manager in the police, Stine Mjelde. She said that the fire spread to a brick house where there were both rabbits and birds. – Many of these are on fire inside, says Mjelde. Hind Jehad Mohamad Ali (left) with father Jehad Mohamad, sister Hazar (13) and mother Hanaa. Photo: Sondre Dalaker / news Thought it was fireworks Oddrun Wathne is the nearest neighbour. She heard a bang and looked out the bedroom glass. – I thought it was rockets, but then I saw that the fire was on fire. I called 110, but they had just received a message that the apartment building was on fire. I denied it, but they wondered if I could take care of the people who live there. She said that those who were in the house were distressed. – They were with me until some friends came to pick them up, she says. Neighbor Kjell Rune Sværen also heard a bang and saw the smoke. – I put on my clothes and got out to call for help. Kjell Rune Sværen and Oddrun Wathne are neighbors of the house where there was a fire. Photo: Sondre Dalaker / news Wind direction saved the house Crews from both Balestrand, Leikanger and Sogndal rushed to the fire. – Løa had caught fire, and the fire had spread to a brick building, where the roof structure caught fire. The building was destroyed by smoke, flames and water, says Elmer Sjøvoll, who is senior guard at Parish fire and rescue. The fire brigade gradually got control of the fire and prevented it from spreading. – Due to the wind direction, there was no risk of spreading to the residential building, he says. The fire crew finished at the scene at 6 o’clock today early. The police are now investigating the case further. This is what it looks like the next day. Photo: Kjell Rune Sværen The property was formerly a vicarage in Balestrand. Now Sogndal municipality owns it. – We make contact with the family and continue to follow up with the routines we have, says Sogndal mayor Arnstein. The Dragsvik-Hella-Vangsnes ferry service was suspended for a period after midnight, but ran as normal on Tuesday morning. Lunde is outside Balestrand in Sogndal municipality, close to the Dragsvik ferry quay. Graphics: news



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