An e-scooter caught fire and caused a blaze in an apartment building in Schaerbeek on Tuesday evening. None of the residents required hospital treatment.
Tram services were also disrupted in the area when the fire broke out around 21:20 in a first-floor flat in a three-storey building on Avenue Princesse Élisabeth, according to Brussels Fire Brigade.
When firefighters arrived, the occupants of the affected flat had already escaped. Residents living on upper floors had taken refuge on their balconies while awaiting rescue.
Firefighters quickly brought the fire under control using a high-pressure hose. During their initial assessment, they determined that the fire had started after an electric scooter caught fire.
Rescue efforts were complicated by overhead tram cables outside the building, which limited the use of aerial ladders even after power to the line had been switched off.
One resident from the second floor was evacuated using a ladder truck, while people on the top floor chose to remain on their balconies until the fire was extinguished. They were later escorted down the stairwell wearing emergency smoke masks.
The damaged flat has been declared uninhabitable. Other residents were allowed to return home after safety checks were completed.
Water damage led energy network operator Sibelga to disconnect electricity to the building's ground floor.
Derieuw noted that the affected apartment lacked a smoke detector, despite such devices being mandatory in Brussels.
"A working smoke detector can warn residents at a very early stage and make the difference between a minor incident and a tragedy," he said.
All residents were examined at the scene by a doctor from St John Hospital's emergency medical team, but nobody required hospital treatment.
