Train services in Groningen were suspended on Wednesday morning after a fire broke out in a building under construction in the city’s main station.

Thick black smoke could be seen rising from the roof of the building, which is part of an extensive renovation of the train and bus station.

Residents around the city’s Hoofdstation were advised to keep doors and windows shut and an NL-Alert issued around Achterweg after the fire broke out at around 9.30am.

Fire service spokesman Geert Anne Mollema said the blaze broke out during construction work on the roof. “The fire spread to insulation materials in the walls and the roof, which made it more difficult to contain,” he told RTV Noord.

ProRail is assessing the impact and cost of the damage, which it said could delay the re-opening of the main station, scheduled for the summer of 2026.

Intercity trains and Sprinters between Assen and Groningen were suspended for four hours, with replacement buses laid on for passengers. NS advised travellers bound for Zwolle to travel via Leeuwarden.