– We had to put snow on the remains of the wreckage so that they did not fly any further.
So says Svend Ingvar H. Larsen, general manager at Larsen Maskin og Transport in Hammerfest.
The entire roof of the office building of Larsen Maskin og Transport in Hammerfest was torn off today in the strong gusts of wind.
The entire roof of the office building of Larsen Maskin og Transport at Prærien in Hammerfest was torn off the building today. The employees used a wheel loader to secure the wreckage on the ground.
Photo: Christian Rosenvinge Østnes / Larsen Maskin og Transport
– There were roof tiles and splinters all over the place. We have now contacted the fire service to see if further protection is needed. This with a view to whether this could pose a danger to life and health, says Larsen.
– The roof has survived both Narve and other winter storms. That tells a little about how bad it is here now, says general manager at Larsen Maskin og Transport in Hammerfest, Svend Ingvar H. Larsen.
Photo: Private
– Worst in at least 21 years?
Larsen says that in all the bad luck, it was after all luck that the employees had left the office building for the day. And not least that no people or animals were hit by the wreckage.
He has no doubt that the weather is now extreme, and the gusts extra strong.
– This must be the worst weather we have experienced on the Prairie since we set up the building in 2003. And that is 21 years ago. During this period, the roof has survived both Narve and other winter storms, says Larsen.
Several windows in the office building of Larsen Maskin og Transport in Hammerfest were also broken when the strong gusts tore the roof off.
Photo: Christian Rosenvinge Østnes / Larsen Maskin og Transport AS
– Stay inside!
Mayor of Hammerfest, Terje Rogde (H), tells NRK that the preparedness of the fire and rescue service is good.
Now he is urging people to stay indoors.
– It is not safe to move outdoors now. We see a lot of damage to other buildings, and wreckage and building materials can come flying. So we are therefore urgently asking people to stay indoors now, says Rogde.
– Stay inside! That is our urgent appeal to people in Hammerfest now, says Hammerfest mayor Terje Rogde (H).
Photo: Allan Klo / NRK
Regarding the closure of the road at Nedre Molla in the middle of the city, he says:
– The fire and rescue service is on site and ensures that the ambulance will get there if necessary. They also drive round the city to see if other areas require extra measures, says Rogde.
Shops are closed
Several shops in Finnmark chose to close their doors this morning as a result of the storm.
The Nissensenteret in Hammerfest, Joker Breivikbotn and Bugøyne’s bistro in Sør-Varanger closed earlier than normal due to the storm.
Coop Prix in Havøysund in Måsøy is also closed on Tuesday. This is due to a major water leak and the extreme weather forecast that has been sent out
Gamvik Handel on the Nordkinnhalvøya is closed until further notice due to strong gusts of wind.
In addition to closed shops, many roads in Finnmark are also closed on Monday evening.
Electricity subscribers in a number of villages and towns in the north are also without electricity on Monday evening. And several of these will probably have to wait a long time before the power is restored.