Last week saw several structures destroyed at the Royal Institute of Technology’s (KTH) School of Architecture in Stockholm.
The blaze initially ignited early in the morning on the top of the lecture hall on central Stockholm’s Ostermalmsgatan. Up to 75 fire fighters fought the massive blaze through the morning and well into the afternoon, and one was treated for injuries to his hand.
The event saw massive amounts of smoke fill the campus and the Ostermalm area surrounding KTH, though fire officials have not reported whether or not any poisonous gases were present. Residents were however told to keep doors and windows tightly closed as a precaution whilst students and staff were evacuated from the campus.
Asa Dehlin, spokeswoman for Stockholm’s fire service, said that the blaze was a difficult one to extinguish due to the size of the lecture hall. She added that the hall itself and other KTH buildings were destroyed though there was no damage to surrounding residences.
KTH is one of Sweden’s top higher education institutions; it was recently ranked number four among all of the country’s top universities and colleges. Among its well-known alumni are actor Dolph Lundgren, financial Tycoon Ivar Krueger and Astronaut Christer Fugelsang.