More than 100 homes destroyed in Norway fire

• More than 100 homes were destroyed by a fire near Drammen, southern Norway, on July 17, with thick black smoke covering the area.
• Over 60 firefighters and helicopters worked to control the fire, while police evacuated hundreds of residents from the terraced housing neighbourhood.
• The fire spread to surrounding forests, but no casualties or missing persons have been reported; the cause of the fire is still unknown.

OSLO - More than 100 homes were destroyed by fire on July 17 near the city of Drammen, in southern Norway, as firefighters battled to contain the flames amid strong winds, rescue officials said.

Thick black smoke covered the area, located some 50km west of Oslo, but there were no reports of casualties or people missing from the blaze, which hit a neighbourhood of terraced housing.

More than 60 firefighters worked to put out the fire, while helicopters were deployed to douse the flames with water.

Police evacuated hundreds of people as the fire continued to burn and also spread to the surrounding forest.

It was not immediately known where or how the fire began. AFP