Prosecutors have appointed a fire expert to investigate a major industrial blaze at the Vanheede waste processing company in Roeselare, which is now under control but whose cause remains unclear.
The fire broke out at about 22:00 on Friday at the company’s site on Pildersweg. As a precaution, the entire site and the neighbouring Paulig company were evacuated.
No one was injured. More than 100 firefighters from several fire service zones were deployed to tackle the blaze, which was brought under control on Saturday morning.
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Soot particles may have fallen in the immediate area around the site. These do not contain asbestos, as the substance was not present in the building where the fire broke out.
Residents who find such particles in their garden or on their property are advised to pick them up with gloves and dispose of them with residual waste.
The city of Roeselare has also warned nearby residents about possible odour nuisance. Within a one-kilometre radius of the site, people are advised to keep windows and doors closed and not to switch on ventilation systems.
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been established. The Kortrijk division of the West Flanders public prosecutor’s office has appointed a fire expert to examine the precise circumstances, and investigators are still awaiting the findings.
