The Brussels fire brigade is calling on the competent authorities to seal off abandoned buildings which could become squats following a fire on Saturday.
A fire broke out in a former office building on Rue Royale in Brussels on Saturday at around 18:25. The Brussels fire brigade arrived at what was assumed to be an abandoned eight-storey office building. Smoke was rising from the roof following as the fire was located on the top two floors.
Traffic from STIB trams was interrupted during the extinguishing operations. The fire brigade managed to put out the fire, but the exact cause of the blaze is still unclear.
"During the Search & Rescue action, five people were found on the fifth floor and were ordered to leave the premises," said Walter Derieuw, the fire brigade's spokesperson.
“Given their refusal, they were evacuated, under slight duress from the orderlies. A total of eight people present were examined by the emergency services' doctor who was present, but none of them were found to be injured.”
Unknown territory
Derieuw noted that firefighters faced some difficulty getting the squatters present out of the building, and stressed that the brigade is calling on the competent authorities "to seal off the premises to prevent any future intrusions."
"Interventions in squats are always very intensive interventions for the emergency services. There is no overview of the configuration, nor of the number of people present," he explained.
Related News
- Major oil spill in Bruges canals interrupts navigation
- Defendant pulls out a Belgian flag and spits on it in courtroom
Derieux added that, in some cases, the squatters are under the influence of intoxicants, "probably to forget the miserable living conditions," and are therefore uncooperative, or even aggressive.
He said that fortunately during Saturday's intervention, the "forces of order" can then be counted on, such as in this case the police of the Brussels Capital/Ixelles zone.
