Massive fire destroys 100 homes in Norway and forces hundreds to evacuate

18/07/2026

Smoke rises over terraced houses on fire in the Krokstadelva village in Drammen, Norway on July 17. (AP)

DRAMMEN, Norway, July 18, (AP): A major fire in southern Norway destroyed more than 100 homes Friday and forced hundreds of people to evacuate the area, according to police and the country's public broadcaster.

The blaze started in a townhouse in the city of Drammen around 3:30 p.m. Friday, police said. It then spread through the area and into nearby forests. Firefighters continued their efforts Saturday morning to bring the blaze under control.

NRK, Norway's public broadcaster, said hundreds of people went to an evacuation center.

No residents have been reported missing, police said. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire.

Drammen is roughly 34 kilometers (21 miles) southwest of Oslo.