A cost-effective and convenient alternative to traditional coal and heating oil, pellet stoves are becoming increasingly popular in Belgium. The compressed wood pellets can also be more environmentally friendly. But this surge in popularity is causing problems for Belgium’s already overstretched firefighters.
Early on Wednesday morning, two fires caused by pellet stoves forced firefighters to mobilise in the Walloon cities of Ransart and Jumet, RTL Info reports. Firefighters say that they are called out every day to deal with fires from this new fuel source.
“I had to leave the house with my one-year-old and my sister because there was a lot of smoke coming from the pellet stove. I was a little panicked. I didn’t have much choice but to call the fire department,” said the property owner from the fire in Jumet.
Wood pellets are commonly used in Belgium. On average, Belgians burn one million tonnes of pellets each year. More complex than traditional heating systems, poor installations can have lethal consequences. If the pellet stoves are not installed properly or regularly maintained, the chance of fire grows.
The cost of safety
“They heat up enormously at the outlet because there is forced ventilation. The pellet disintegrates and creates a lot of fine dust,” said Michel Méan, spokesperson for the Hainaut-East rescue zone. He says that his area of service has seen a sharp increase in the number of callouts for this type of stove, so much so that it has become a daily occurrence.
The increase in accidents is also an indirect consequence of the energy crisis. As many Belgians look for alternatives to costly gas or heating oil systems, they look to alternative fuel sources. In a bid to save money, up to 30% of customers opt to install the new pellet stoves without the help of a professional, specialist stores confirmed. This greatly increases the risk of an accident due to improper installation.
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Furthermore, pellet stoves require sustained investment and must be serviced each year and cleaned after each use. If a build-up of flammable particles is allowed to develop, the risk of fire rises.
Some experts have suggested that heating with wood pellets is far less cheap and eco-friendly than advertised. The pellets are often imported from far away and can degrade air quality.
