Firefighter injured in De Hoef peat fire

A firefighter was injured while battling a persistent underground peat fire near De Hoef, Netherlands. The incident occurred on a remote plot of land between Fort aan de Drecht and De Hoef. While attempting to probe the ground, boiling steam pierced the firefighter's glove, necessitating a hospital visit for observation.

The fire, which has been smoldering undetected for two weeks, reached extreme temperatures of 400 degrees Celsius during excavation. Due to the difficulty of accessing the site by land, emergency services utilized boats to transport personnel and firefighting equipment. Because dry peat repels water, crews face a lengthy process to cool the ground, which remained at approximately 200 degrees Celsius even after initial suppression efforts.