Around 35 residents were evacuated from two buildings in Forest on Saturday afternoon due to worsening structural fissures, according to Brussels firefighters spokesperson Walter Derieuw.
The two buildings, located on Chausée de Bruxelles, are also home to a bakery and a café. The decision to evacuate was taken on Saturday afternoon. One of the residents, concerned about the deteriorating condition of his apartment, couldn't properly open his door, observed the widening wall cracks and heard creaking sounds at night, stated the spokesperson.
Derieuw suggested the fissures might have developed due to a nearby municipal construction project – Forest Abbey is currently being converted into a cultural centre.
"There are now major cracks in the stairwells, window frames and junctions between the walls, floors and ceilings, doors no longer close, bricks are falling from the façades and the tiles in the front of the bakery are cracking," one resident told Sudinfo.
Under direction of the fire service, the local council and the police, all 35 residents have been rehoused as a precaution. 12 were placed in hotels while the rest are staying with friends and family. Both businesses have also been closed.
The investigation will be overseen by the Forest municipality and an engineer is due to assess the buildings' stability on Monday.
