Firefighters were called to a fire in a Brussels apartment building early on Sunday morning. The resident, suffering from smoke inhalation, was rushed to the hospital.
Some 20 occupants of the three-storey building on Rue de la Roche Fatale in the municipality of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert had already vacated the premises when the firefighters arrived, said Brussels Fire Brigade spokesperson Walter Derieuw. A resident still in the building was subsequently escorted out with an oxygen mask, due to the smoke-filled stairwell.
"Seven people, including two children, were examined and treated at the scene," Derieuw commented. "The resident from the burnt apartment was taken to the hospital due to smoke inhalation."
The fire was quickly brought under control after the Montgomery police established a safety perimeter to facilitate the firefighters' efforts. The exact source of the blaze is yet to be confirmed.
Gas pipes of two apartments sustained damage due to the fire. Consequently, Brussels' energy distribution network manager Sibelga cut off the gas supply to these apartments, as well as the ground floor unit. The latter is currently deemed uninhabitable. Occupants of other apartments were allowed to return after the premises had been ventilated and inspected by the firefighters.
The fire brigade emphasises the importance of closing doors when evacuating a room on fire to prevent smoke from spreading throughout the building.
