Firefighters are battling a blaze at the Galloo Retra recycling company in the port of Ghent after a fire broke out in a pile of scrap waste on Thursday morning.
Emergency crews are working to stop the fire from spreading, said Anouk Veyt, spokeswoman for the Centrum emergency services zone, early on Thursday afternoon.
She said a fireboat and drones had been deployed as part of the response. The cause of the fire is not yet known, and it has not yet been brought under control.
A large plume of smoke is drifting towards Oostakker, a district of Ghent, and the municipality of Lochristi. A Be-Alert message was sent to residents of Ghent earlier in the day, followed later by another alert for people living in Lochristi.
Residents in the area have been asked to keep windows and doors closed and switch off ventilation systems.
Scheepzatestraat, where Galloo Retra is located, has been closed to traffic. Employees at nearby companies have also been told to remain indoors.
