A fire broke out in a largely unoccupied building near Brussels' Grand-Place on Monday morning, prompting the evacuation of a group of children from a neighbouring building.
Brussels firefighters were called to Rue de la Violette at around 10:05, alongside emergency medical services and police, after thick smoke prompted numerous calls to the 112 emergency number.
The fire started in a pile of rubbish inside an old building that was partially supported by temporary structural reinforcements. Most of the building was unoccupied, although a night shop was still operating on the premises.
Firefighters searched the building thoroughly to establish whether anyone was inside. Their work was complicated by the poor condition of the floors and staircases.
No one was found inside.
As a precaution, a group of children from a neighbouring building was evacuated and taken to Brussels City Hall. No injuries were reported.
The complexity of the building and the high number of emergency calls prompted firefighters to briefly activate their internal emergency plan.
The operation involved three fire engines, two aerial ladder trucks, two command vehicles, two ambulances, two emergency medical teams and specialist support vehicles.
The intervention ended at around 12:15. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
"In old and unoccupied buildings, conditions inside can be particularly unpredictable," Brussels Fire Brigade spokesperson Walter Derieuw said.
"The structure may be in poor condition, and it is not always possible to know immediately whether someone is still inside. During this type of intervention, our teams therefore always assume that people may be present."
