A hotel at the corner of Astridplein and De Keyserlei was evacuated early Saturday morning following a fire.
Over 100 guests were affected.
The immediate evacuation was prompted by a blaze in an underlying shop, according to local police reports.
Due to significant smoke engulfing the building, all guests were relocated to a nearby hotel. Authorities are investigating the possibility of the fire being a deliberate act.
Just half an hour prior to the hotel’s evacuation, an explosion occurred in front of an appartment building in nearby Quinten Matsijslei street. The front door of the house suffered severe damage, no injuries were reported.
The technical and scientific police laboratory alongside the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service (Sedee) conducted investigations on site. Federal judicial police have also been made aware of the incident.
The inquiry aims to establish whether there is a connection between the two incidents and any potential links to drug-related activities.
