A firefighter was hospitalized Tuesday after a wall fell on him during a call out to deal with a kitchen fire in Schaerbeek.
The firefighter was in the stairwell of the building when a piece of wall - soaked in water from the fire hose - collapsed on him. While not seriously injured, he was hit on his neck and back, explained Walter Derieuw, spokesman for the Brussels fire service to BX1. As a result, he was transferred to the hospital for further examination
Firefighters were called to a three-storey building on Van Hove Street in Schaerbeek due to reports of smoke. When they arrived, they noticed that it was a kitchen fire and that the occupants had already evacuated the premises, Derieuw explained.
The fire brigade started putting out the fire but because of the sprayed water, a part of the stairwell fell down onto a colleague.
"Fortunately, he was wearing his helmet. According to the latest news, he has nothing serious and has been able to go home, but he could be unable to work for several days," said the fire service spokesman.
Due to the collapse of the stairwell, the building has been declared uninhabitable for the time being.
Jules Johnston
The Brussels Times
