Svein Dalen, chief of the Ålesund Fire Department, said fires set off by gas leaks could burn for another week. He called that only a "rough calculation," though, because it was uncertain how long it would take for the damaged 6,000-litre gas tank feeding the fires to run out.
Special instruments have been set up to monitor movement within the devastated structure. Its sheer instability also has prevented rescue crews from entering the building, even though five residents are believed trapped inside and presumed dead.
Officials evacuated the area around the building at Fjelltunvegen 31 on Wednesday, fearing explosions. That danger still exists, they claimed, adding that they "don't dare" allow people into the area.
Evacuated homes were being guarded by police and civil defense troops. Some residents were allowed to briefly re-enter their homes to collect necessary personal items.
Blasting concerns
Some owners of neighbouring properties feared not only explosions but also the stability of the remaining hillside itself. Parts of it had been blasted away six years ago to make room for the building at Fjelltunvegen 31, and questions are being raised over whether that weakened the ground and contributed to the landslide.
The blasting experts, developers and builders of the complex all have been quick to contend that they followed all rules and regulations for such projects, which are common in Norway. They also point out that they had reinforced the hillside behind Fjelltunvegen 31 with as many as 123 bolts.
Building authorities all over the country, shocked by what happened in Ålesund, are re-examining current regulations. Future building projects that involve extensive earthmoving or border on hillsides may face stricter rules in the future.
