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Danish firefighters to help tackle blaze in Greenland

38 firefighters from Denmark have been sent to Greenland in an attempt to put out a wildfire currently burning on the Arctic island.

Published: 13 August 2019 15:30 CEST
Danish firefighters to help tackle blaze in Greenland
Ukkusissat in western Greenland. File photo: Linda Kastrup/Ritzau Scanpix

The firefighters will travel to Greenland, and autonomous territory of Denmark, in a Hercules aircraft supplied by the Danish military.

They will help local emergency services to fight wildfires which have blazed since the beginning of July and are persisting in peaty subterranean areas between Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq, in the western part of Greenland.

Authorities in Greenland took the step of requesting help from Denmark last weekend.

“I think it’s important for us to help and support Greenland when they ask for our help,” Danish defence minister Trine Bramsen said.

“We have a very special bond throughout our kingdom, so I listen extra carefully when the call for help comes from Greenland,” Bramsen added.

The Danish contingent consists of 16 national service soldiers, 8 volunteers and 14 specialist full-time firefighters, said Jens Oddershede, leader of the international section of the Danish Emergency Management Agency (Beredskabsstyrelsen).

“They will be particularly tasked with establishing a breakage line to contain the fire and stop it spreading further,” Oddershede said.

The Danish mission is expected to last around 14 days and cost up to 3 million kroner.

Police in Greenland believe the wildfire to have started on July 8th, caused by a smoking oven.

READ ALSO: Danish climate body wrongly reported Greenland heat record

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FIRE

Situation ‘unstable’ at Copenhagen’s old stock exchange after fire

Three days after a fire which ravaged Copenhagen's historic former stock exchange broke out, emergency services said Friday that the situation was "unstable" due to equipment issues and a strong breeze.

Published: 19 April 2024 17:44 CEST
Situation 'unstable' at Copenhagen's old stock exchange after fire

In the morning, during work to dismantle the scaffolding surrounding the building, a crane’s cutters came loose for as of yet unknown reasons.

It is currently wedged between the scaffolding — put up for the renovation of the historic building that was ongoing — and what remains of the walls.

“It is affecting our efforts”, Tim Ole Simonsen, leader of the operation at the rescue services, told a press conference.

Coupled with the wind picking up, the incident, which has temporarily halted work on dismantling the scaffolding, has made the situation “unstable”.

“The wind is blowing harder and harder, and there are tarps over the scaffolding that can catch the wind,” Simonsen said.

He added that this increases the risks, in particular of further collapse of the burnt-out facade which started collapsing late Thursday afternoon.

Located close to the Christiansborg parliament and seat of government, the Borsen building was commissioned by King Christian IV and built between 1619 and 1640. It was the stock exchange until the 1970s.

The fire began Tuesday morning under the copper roof of the building, which was undergoing renovations ahead of its 400th anniversary.

The cause of the blaze was unknown and Copenhagen police said Wednesday that a major investigation had been launched.

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