Smoke detectors will become compulsory in all homes in Brussels from 1 January 2025, according to new regulations put forth by the Brussels Government on Thursday.
State Secretaries Ans Persoons and Nawal Ben Hamou are launching a new campaign and video clip to underline the necessity of installing these devices.
A new video clip entitled Three Minutes is promoting the new regulation, as this is "the time it takes to lose everything in a fire," the ministers said in a press release on Thursday. This is less than half the average response time of the Brussels fire brigade, which is eight minutes.
In the Brussels-Capital Region, only rented properties are currently required to be fitted with autonomous smoke detectors, leaving 40% of homes outside the legal framework. The detection devices, sold for a few dozen euros, nevertheless play a crucial role in fire protection and early smoke detection.
Flames spread faster in modern homes due to new construction methods and materials, furniture and battery-powered electrical appliances, yet there is a lack of awareness on the importance of fire prevention across Belgium.
The new measure therefore aims to reduce the number of preventable fires that occur each year in the Brussels-Capital Region, while reintroducing a safety culture around house fires. With 560 emergency calls for the period from 1 January to 11 August 2023, the number of house fires still remains tragically high in the Region.
This extension of legislation will bring Brussels in line with the other regions of the country, as the regulation has already been in force for several years in Flanders (2020) and Wallonia (2006). Unfortunately, despite these successive positive changes, Belgium still seems to lag behind neighbouring countries: only 36 people died in house fires last year in the Netherlands, compared to 76 in Belgium, including 10 in the Brussels Region alone.
The 2018 Fire Safety Monitor survey, organised by the National Association for Fire and Theft Control and the Ministry of Home Affairs, showed that only a quarter of Belgians are concerned about fire safety in their home. Moreover, only three in five Belgians are willing to invest in fire safety. The national survey also emphasised that only 65% of respondents in the Brussels Region have a smoke alarm in their home (having dropped by 10% between 2016-2018), compared to 75% in the other regions of the country.
'Simple but highly effective'
"Preventing house fires must once again become a priority, as it is a crucial safety issue that ensures lives can be saved. The statistics taken year after year are disastrous: not to mention the inevitably high material costs and the human toll which, with the staggering number of deaths and injuries, is simply intolerable – especially since the victims hardest hit are often the most disadvantaged, including many elderly people," said Ben Hamou.
"We want to remind people that they can lose everything in a matter of seconds and that simple means of prevention can save their lives and the lives of their loved ones."
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"Installing smoke alarms in all homes is a simple but highly effective way to save lives and reduce damage. However, reality shows that not everyone is aware of the life-saving power of a quality smoke alarm. To reinforce our message, we are launching a large-scale awareness campaign in the middle of next year to make everyone aware that this small device can make a huge difference," Persoons noted.
The different types of equipment and how to place detectors are detailed on the Brussels firefighters website. A brochure including the diagrams will also soon be distributed to the general public.
