An abandoned building on Hverfisgata in central Reykjavík was set on fire on Monday night. Firefighters extinguished the fire quickly and rescued a man who had been sleeping on the upper floor.
This house, which is scheduled for demolition, has been set on fire before, as Fréttabladid reports.
Fire marshal for the capital region Jón Vidar Matthíasson said the fire department will now work with Reykjavík City on mapping out abandoned buildings in the area and find out what can be done with those that are not owned by the city to prevent further incidents like these.
“My men are being exposed to grave danger,” Matthíasson said, referring to holes in the floors, missing handrails and other hidden dangers in abandoned buildings. There is also the risk of the fire spreading to adjacent buildings, he added.
Another fire was reported in the Waldorf School in the Reykjavík district of Breidholt the following morning. Fortunately the students were still on holiday. Firefighters were successful in extinguishing the fire.
A water pipe had also burst in the fire so the school had to be cleared off both smoke and water. The origin of the fire is under investigation.
