Major Fire at MTH Industrial Company in Hoogeveen, Netherlands

A significant fire erupted at a building belonging to industrial company MTH in Hoogeveen, Netherlands, around 12:15 PM local time today. The structure, located on Stephensonstraat, is considered a total loss and fire crews are allowing it to burn out in a controlled manner.

The Drenthe Safety Region reported a substantial presence of firefighters at the scene, noting the building’s size and the presence of a significant amount of technology inside. Several agricultural vehicles stored within the building contributed to the fire’s intensity, presenting a high fire potential.

The fire was initially detected by MTH’s internal camera system, prompting a notification to the fire brigade. Fortunately, no personnel were present in the building at the time of the outbreak. Drones equipped with thermal cameras are being utilized to identify the areas of greatest heat concentration.

An NL Alert was issued shortly after the fire began due to the large plumes of black smoke. Residents were advised to close windows and doors to avoid smoke inhalation. The smoke was visible as far away as Emmen, but the alert was withdrawn around 2:00 PM. Stephenson Street remains partially closed as firefighters continue to extinguish the blaze.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown and under investigation.

Hoogeveen is a municipality and town in the Dutch province of Drenthe, located in the south of the province and bordering Overijssel [1]. As of January 2021, the municipality had a population of 55,603 [1].