Brandwacht Huren makes residents feel safe again after a fire in their apartment building in Arnhem

After fireworks caused a fire in an apartment that had been tested to be safe, Brandwacht Huren was able to restore the residents’ feeling of safety

On New Year's Eve 2019, a tragedy happened in an apartment building in Arnhem. Fireworks had caused a fire in the building's entrance lobby. A family of four who happened to be in the lift at that time got stuck due to the fire and smoke. Sadly, the father and his young son did not survive this.

The fire left the residents feeling unsafe in their homes. And so, in the aftermath of the fire, the Vivare housing corporation called in the services of Brandwacht Huren in order to ensure the residents’ continued safety. It was found that nothing was wrong with the building's fire safety; this had actually been assessed and approved by the Fire Service before. The fire had been caused by fireworks that had been placed on an abandoned sofa in the entrance hall of the building.

Trusted Safety

Due to these circumstances, it was all the more important that the residents of the building had their faith in the safety of their homes restored as quickly as possible. Brandwacht Huren had two fire marshals carry out safety patrols in and around the building. They monitored the fire safety and their visible presence also helped residents to regain their sense of being safe in the building.

“The residents liked our presence,” said Michiel van Paassen, who was one of the fire marshals employed here. "Especially at night. They can now rest easy. The building is monitored 24/7, both inside and out. We patrol the outside of the building, then take an indoor passage and monitor the stairwell.”

But fire safety is about more than just patrols and checks. Being presentable, having communication skills and being customer-friendly are equally important in order to convey the feeling that an area is safe. Brandwacht Huren provides the professionals who fulfil the strict requirements of their profession and who also have the soft skills listed above. This makes them perfect ambassadors for all client organisations.