On April 13, 2026, emergency services across Scandinavia were stretched by a series of unrelated incidents, ranging from gas smells and smoke reports to a major waste facility fire. In Uppsala, the räddningstjänsten received a call about a smoke smell in a public venue on Kungsgatan around 20:00, according to a räddningstjänstens ledningsoperatör. Multiple police cars responded to the area around Den Nationale Scene in Bergen city center due to a report of a gas smell from a hotel room, operasjonsleiar Dan Erik Johannessen i Vest politidistrikt said. The police have control of the scene in Bergen, the operasjonsleiaren confirmed. The hotel reported the gas smell, according to multiple reports. One person is being taken care of by health personnel in Bergen, major media reported. Bergens Tidende earlier reported that police had equipped themselves with shields. The cause of the gas smell in Bergen remains unknown, and the status of the person being cared for has not been disclosed.
In Oslo, emergency services responded to reports of smoke development in Smalgangen on Grønland, according to multiple reports. Several people have inhaled smoke, according to politiet. Police are working to get an overview of the situation, operasjonsleder Vidar Pedersen i Oslo-politiet said. Initial reports indicate the smoke came from a fuse box, Pedersen added. The cause of the smoke is still under investigation, and the number of people affected has not been confirmed.
In Trondheim, the fire brigade responded to a suspicious smell in a building on the east side of the city on Wednesday afternoon, according to an operatør ved Midt-Norge 110-sentral. Police also sent a patrol to the location, operasjonsleder Martin Eriksen Skjerve i Trøndelag politidistrikt said. At 09:37, the 110-sentral received a report of smoke development from an apartment complex at Charlottenlund, vaktleder Kåre Peder Norvik said. The Charlottenlund incident involved smell but little smoke, and the situation is undramatic, Norvik added. The report came after someone observed smoke from a basement in Charlottenlund, according to multiple reports.
In Hässleholm Municipality, Skåne County, a fire in a waste facility caused thick smoke in Vankiva, Finja, and the northern parts of Hässleholm city, according to the incident commander. The incident commander urged everyone in the area to go indoors and close doors, windows, and ventilation. The extent of the fire is not yet known, and it is unclear if any of these incidents are connected.
In Eskilstuna, SOS was alerted on Easter evening about a smoke smell in an apartment building in Nyfors, which turned out to be dry cooking, according to multiple reports. The fire brigade was alerted to Mälarsjukhuset in Eskilstuna on Saturday at 19:22 for a smoke smell, which turned out to be a leak, major media reported. On Saturday afternoon, the fire brigade responded to an address in Skönsberg, according to multiple sources. Additionally, the fire brigade is on its way to an unspecified location, Vestmanlands Läns Tidning reported.
The series of incidents on April 13 highlights the diverse challenges faced by emergency services. While some situations were quickly resolved, others, like the waste facility fire, required ongoing response. Authorities continue to investigate the causes of the gas smell in Bergen and the smoke in Oslo. The public is advised to follow official guidance, especially in areas affected by smoke or fire.