A fire that broke out in a townhouse in southern Norway has destroyed around 100 homes, but was mostly brought under control by Saturday, fire officials said.

Local media described the blaze as the largest in the Nordic nation in over a century. The fire started on the outskirts of Drammen, about 34 kilometers from Oslo, at around 3:30 p.m. local time on Friday, quickly ripping through a row of townhouses.

Strong winds and exceptionally dry conditions caused the fire to spread rapidly through the neighborhood and toward nearby forests. More than 400 people were evacuated, according to the newspaper Aftenposten.

Firefighters from several districts were brought in, and helicopters used for forest fires were deployed. By Saturday lunchtime, officials said there was no longer a major risk of the fire spreading within residential areas, but forested areas were still not under control.

No deaths were reported, but one firefighter was slightly injured and several people were treated for smoke inhalation. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store expressed condolences to those who lost their homes.

Source: www.dw.com