Industrial Lab Reports Major Fire in Netherlands

Fire generating thick smoke broke out Monday morning in equipment at an industrial laboratory in Schiedam, Netherlands.

A Twitter account for local emergency services states the flames originated in a device known as a fume cupboard designed to limit the researcher’s exposure to toxic vapors, fumes and dusts. The device was operating when the fire broke out.

Flames were first reported at 8 a.m., and within 30 minutes had escalated into a major fire, authorities report. At least 10 pieces of emergency apparatus were dispatched to the scene, including a tanker sprayer.

The fume cupboard was extinguished within an hour of the first report, the Twitter site reports.