A devastating fire engulfed the sports hall in Flénu, Mons, on Wednesday evening, reducing the complex to ashes.
Thick black smoke from the fire was visible as far as the E19/E42 motorway, according to eyewitness reports.
The building, constructed on the site of a former swimming pool, mainly served as the base for the local basketball club but had been unoccupied for over a year.
“There was once a reconstruction project with a pool. Another idea was for a ball-free sports facility, like boxing or judo,” stated Achille Sakas, the Mons sports councillor, who did not comment on the site’s future.
The fire, whose cause is still under investigation, resulted in no casualties, according to the official from Mons.
The Mons fire department spokesperson, Benoit Filippi, told Belga on Thursday that the fire was already severe by the time firefighters arrived. “As soon as the first fire engine reached the scene, the building’s roof collapsed, complicating efforts to determine the cause,” he said.
However, he noted that the building was unoccupied and likely slated for demolition, with the electricity presumably disconnected. “The causes are therefore suspicious,” he added.
