Lightning strikes sparked significant fires in Toornwerd and Grijpskerk on Saturday, June 27, 2026, as a nationwide technical outage added to disruptions across the Groningen region.
In Toornwerd, a lightning strike hit the roof of a monumental barn on Oldenoordweg. The owner rescued all horses inside before firefighters arrived.
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Crews deployed major water transport to cool adjacent buildings and prevent flames from spreading to the main residence.
Another lightning strike hit a roof on Burmanniastraat in Grijpskerk, causing localized power outages affecting several homes. Grid operator Enexis was called for assistance.
Firefighters reported no one was inside the property and worked to extinguish the fire from within.
Nationwide Technical Outage
A technical failure at Rijkswaterstaat occurred during maintenance on a fiber optic cable, disabling central operations for bridges, locks, and highway cameras.
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An RWS spokeswoman warned that boats might face slower or non-operational bridges and locks. Authorities could not place red crosses to close highway lanes, creating potential hazards.
“Since a thunderstorm is coming later, you must ensure that you turn back early enough to go home,” the spokeswoman added.
Other incidents on Saturday included a car plunging into a ditch along the Eemskanaal Zuidzijde near Lageland, and another vehicle ending up in a ditch next to the A7 highway near Marum, resulting in a partial highway closure and one hospitalization.
A mechanical train failure between Groningen and Groningen Noord caused minor railway delays.
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Dozens of dead fish were found floating in a pond behind Boerhaavelaan; the cause remains unknown.
