A fire at the Vanheede waste processing company in Roeselare is under control and the municipal emergency plan has been lifted, the city said on Saturday morning.
The fire was brought under control at about 7:00, although emergency services are continuing to monitor the situation closely.
Residents within a one-kilometre radius have been asked to keep windows and doors closed and to switch off ventilation systems.
Depending on the wind direction, the clean-up operation may still cause odour nuisance in the area.
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Soot particles may also have fallen in the immediate vicinity. The city said these do not contain asbestos, as the substance was not present in the building where the fire broke out.
Anyone who finds such particles in their garden or on their property is advised to pick them up while wearing gloves and dispose of them with residual waste.
The fire started at about 22:00 on Friday. More than 100 firefighters were deployed to the scene.
Employees at Vanheede were evacuated, along with staff at the neighbouring company Paulig.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
