Firefighters extinguished a blaze in an apartment on Chaussée de Haecht in Schaerbeek on Monday morning, rescuing a woman in her 40s.
Upon arrival at the apartment, at around 11:00 on Monday, the firefighters saw smoke coming from under the door of the first-floor flat. A 'smoke-stopper' was installed and the door was breached, revealing an apartment filled with black smoke from a smouldering fire, said Walter Derieuw, spokesperson for the Brussels Fire Brigade.
During the search and rescue, they found an unconscious woman in her 40s who was immediately evacuated. The victim, suffering burns to her face and upper body, was transferred to the Military Hospital in Neder-over-Heembeek. Her life is said to be in danger.
A cat was also rescued, given oxygen at the scene and subsequently transported to a vet clinic, Derieuw added.
Credit: Brussels Fire Brigade
According to the firefighters, the initial cause of the fire is still under investigation but it seems to be accidental with the source originating from a sofa.
Brussels-North police were also at the scene. They implemented a security perimeter to facilitate the firefighters' operations and tram traffic on Chaussée de Haecht was suspended during the intervention.
Credit: Brussels Fire Brigade
Derieuw declared the damaged apartment uninhabitable. Other flats in the building will undergo ventilation checks.
Firefighters pointed out that the apartment was not fitted with smoke detectors.
Related News
- Number of house fire deaths in Belgium remains high
- 'Lose everything in three minutes': Smoke detectors compulsory in Brussels homes from 2025
Credit: Brussels Fire Brigade
