Shoppers at the Basilix shopping centre in the Brussels municipality of Berchem Sainte-Agathe were evacuated following a gas leak on an adjacent street in the commune of Ganshoren, Brussels firefighters reported on Friday morning.
The site was evacuated after firefighters were called to deal with a medium-pressure gas leak on Avenue Marie de Hongrie.
“A 50-metre safety perimeter was established. Shoppers at Basilix shopping centre and Delhaize supermarket were evacuated as a precaution,” said fire brigade spokesperson Walter Derieuw. Residents were also advised to keep their windows closed.
Emergency workers have now stopped the gas leak. Credit: Brussels Fire Brigade
Alongside the fire brigade, Sibelga and officers from the Brussels-West police zone were present at the scene. “Shops will be able to reopen shortly,” assured Walter Derieuw. The leak was caused by a contractor carrying out preparatory work for a project to permanently repair a previously-reported gas leak.
“Sibelga teams are working to reduce the pressure and seal the leak. The gas cloud, mixed with dust, may still cause odour nuisances for several hours. A street-sweeping truck will then be deployed to clean the area,” concluded the fire brigade spokesperson.
