A fire broke out overnight in a multi-studio building in Ixelles, Brussels, leaving one studio uninhabitable but causing no injuries, the Brussels fire brigade said.
The fire started at about 11:45 in a studio on the third floor of the four-storey building, according to fire brigade spokesperson Walter Derieuw.
By the time firefighters arrived, several residents had already reached safety. The occupant of the affected studio was brought outside via the stairwell by firefighters and was examined at the scene by an emergency doctor, but did not need to be taken to hospital.
Firefighters also forced open several doors to other studios to check whether anyone was still inside, but found no one.
The studio where the fire started has been declared uninhabitable. The other studios were ventilated and checked for carbon monoxide, but remained habitable. Electricity was cut off only in the affected studio.
Derieuw said there were no smoke alarms in the building, despite this being a legal requirement. He said a working smoke alarm can alert residents at the first sign of smoke and give them valuable time to get to safety, especially at night.
The fire brigade also said its work was hindered by a freezer left in the stairwell. Derieuw said this obstructed firefighters and would also have made it harder for residents to evacuate, particularly if the stairwell had filled with smoke. Evacuation routes must be kept clear, he said.
