One person has died in a devastating apartment fire in Watermael-Boitsfort, Brussels, which also left a firefighter injured.
Emergency services were called to the scene on Saturday at 15:00 after a fire broke out on the second floor of a three-storey building on Léopold Wienerlaan. The blaze was fully developed, and there was a risk of it spreading to the upper floor.
Fire crews immediately began tackling the flames from both outside using ladder trucks and from inside the building. The intense heat and heavy smoke made the operation particularly challenging.
Several firefighters had to temporarily retreat and receive on-site treatment for heat-related symptoms. One firefighter sustained an injury to his hand after a piece of glass pierced his glove.
Once the fire was brought under control, firefighters conducted a thorough search of the building. The body of a deceased person was discovered in the apartment, and significant damage was observed throughout the property.
The fire also caused water, smoke, and soot damage to the first and third floors. Utility company Sibelga was called in to secure the building’s gas and electricity installations.
The cause of the fire remains unknown.
