According to the appointed fire expert, the fire that raged yesterday evening/Friday evening at the Fedasil centre in Machelen was deliberately set. This was reported by the Halle-Vilvoorde public prosecutor's office on Saturday. The suspect, one of the residents, will be questioned today/Saturday.
The resident may have placed the mattresses from the two metal bunk beds in his room across a small corridor and then set them on fire. ‘Glass shards from the mirror that hung near the door of the room were also found on the floor,’ said public prosecutor's office spokesperson Ingrid Moriau. "That mirror hung close to the source of the fire and shattered due to the heat. The hot mirror fragments burned into the mattress and ended up on the floor."
The room contained the personal belongings of four people. These contributed to a large fire load, which allowed the fire to grow and eventually spread. The damage was ultimately limited to the suspect's own room and the room above it, which suffered smoke damage.
The suspect was taken to hospital but has since been discharged. He will be questioned today. The asylum centre provides accommodation for around 400 people.
