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Five people died and one survived, after the tragic fire in the cottage at Risøyhamn in Andøy municipality, this weekend.
Four of the five who died were children, that is, people under the age of 16.
Now the parents of three of the children have issued a statement for the first time after the serious incident.
– We are very grateful for the support we have received and receive from family, friends and the local community. We would also like to thank the support staff.
– We are in a team in duel and we are in a team in the time that lies ahead. We will help each other to move forward. We are in deep sadness and despair.
– None of us nor his immediate family wants to speak or meet the press beyond this. We ask that this be respected, write Ragnhild and Hallvard, who are the parents of Mogens and Gustav.
The spokesman for Henning’s relatives, Tomas Brede Johansen, says:
– The support of the people has been fantastic, far beyond what we had imagined. By the time they got home, someone had scattered into the driveway. Cakes hung on the door. The sea of flowers was indescribably beautiful.
– There have been many words of support that help make it easier, to the extent that something can be easier. The number of inquiries is huge. Some people are afraid to make contact and say the wrong thing, but it is better to make contact than not.
Run for help barefoot
The cabin fire in Andøy started on Saturday night. The father of two of the dead managed to get out of the burning cabin, but was unable to re-enter.
Then he ran about four kilometers to the nearest house to ask for help.
The emergency services were notified, but by the time they arrived at the scene, which is located in Kobbedalen by Risøyhamn in Andøy, it was too late. The cabin was burned to the ground.
During the following days, five people were found dead in the cabin. This makes the incident the worst fatal fire in Norway in more than 12 years.
Flowers and candles at the school in Svolvær, after the fire. All the dead were residents of Vågan Municipality in Lofoten.
Photo: John Inge Johansen / NRK
Waiting to give answers
Now the work continues to give answers to what was the cause of the fire.
This work consists of both technical evidence from the scene of the fire and the questioning of the father, who is considered a key witness in the case.
There have been no indications that this was anything more than a tragic accident.
The police will not elaborate on what the father of the family has explained in conversations with the police.
A heart-shaped tealight outside the Svolvær school.
Photo: John Inge Johansen
– But it is clear that he is a key witness in relation to the course of events. It may be important in the job of uncovering the cause of the fire, police inspector Per Erik Kalland Hagen tells NRK.
Despite the fact that the place of the fire was completely burned, the police hope to be able to give an answer to the relatives about what happened.
– Such a damaged crime scene is a challenge. The objective is to be able to give the relatives answers about what happened. We hope to do so, says Hagen.
