A fire broke out in a Molenbeek squat on Thursday morning. No one was injured but six people were evacuated from the building.
The fire occurred in the attic of a squat on Quai de l'Industrie at around 07:00. Firefighters had to force the door open upon arrival and the building itself was damaged by the fire and extinguishing efforts, according to Brussels Fire Brigade spokesperson Walter Derieuw.
"Inside we found six individuals, two of whom were still asleep on the third floor, he told Belga News Agency. "We had to evacuate them through the stairwell, which was challenging. Thankfully, none required hospitalisation."
Derieuw explained that extinguishing the fire posed challenges due to poor structural condition of the building, which had damaged floors and walls.
"To fully extinguish it and prevent any resurgence, we had to break open more sections of the floor," he said. "There were also holes in the walls, offering potential access to adjacent buildings. Police will now secure the building as effectively as possible."
Firefighters said that the fire seems to have been accidental.
