Firefighters and police in Brussels intervened on Saturday night to extinguish a small outdoor fire within the grounds of Saint-Gilles prison, after which three inmates were treated for smoke inhalation.
The fire was reported at around 23:15 and caused smoke to spread into one wing of the prison, according to firefighters’ spokesperson Walter Derieuw. He confirmed that the fire was quickly brought under control.
Valérie Callebaut, spokesperson for the Directorate-General of Penitentiary Facilities at the Federal Public Service Justice, stated that three inmates received medical attention for smoke inhalation.
She added that no evacuations of inmates to external locations were necessary. As a precaution, each cell was inspected, and the affected areas were safely ventilated. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
