Residents of Østerbro, a neighborhood in Copenhagen, were evacuated on Monday evening due to a significant roof fire that broke out in a building on Skarøgade. The fire, which sent black smoke billowing over the city, was extinguished by the Copenhagen Emergency Management Agency (Hovedstadens Beredskab) in collaboration with the Copenhagen Police (Københavns Politi).

Shortly after 8 PM, Incident Commander Chris Garfort from the Copenhagen Emergency Management Agency reported that the fire was under control and that the mop-up operation had begun. According to the agency, the fire spread only minimally to surrounding stairwells, although one stairwell was severely affected.

The police received the initial report of the fire at 6:59 PM, and firefighters arrived quickly on the scene. Due to the fire’s magnitude, seven stairwells, each housing approximately 30 residents, were evacuated to ensure their safety.

At around 9 PM, Michael Andersen, Watch Commander at the Copenhagen Police, informed that most evacuees would be able to return home soon. However, the area surrounding Skarøgade number 5 would remain cordoned off as the emergency services worked to secure the building against falling debris.

Although the fire has been extinguished, the cleanup and security measures are expected to continue well into the night, according to Chris Garfort. Emergency services and police are advising the public via social media to respect the cordons and to exercise caution in the area.