A large fire in a block of flats in Brussels resulted in four people being hospitalised and dozens of flats rendered uninhabitable.
The fire in the high-rise building of flats in Ganshoren, located in north-west Brussels, broke out at around 20:40 on Tuesday evening, the Brussels fire brigade stated. Medical services and police were also quick to attend the scene.
"The fire spread via the outside stairwell and a series of balconies to the kitchens of a series of flats," fire service spokesperson Walter Derieuw said, adding that a complete evacuation of the block was needed.
The medical intervention plan was activated as a result of the size of the fire: a thick plume of smoke was visible in the vicinity of the building on Avenue Van Overbeke.
Four people were taken to hospital over the course of the evening and night. Two more were treated by medical services at the scene.
40 flats damaged
The fire brigade managed to bring the blaze under control at around 21:30, then set about checking for carbon monoxide and the condition of the flats. One of the two main entrances is no longer usable and 40 flats are temporarily uninhabitable.
Some 100 people will be temporarily accommodated in a reception centre, Derieuw added. The local authority phase has been launched to rehouse residents.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, but the Brussels public prosecutor’s office has appointed an expert to clarify this. Meanwhile, the municipality of Ganshoren has set up a call line (02/600.25.88) to provide locals with more information.
