The alert was given by a vigilant neighbor after the start of a smoke detector in the accommodation, while the occupants were absent. Thanks to a key given by another neighbor, the firefighters were able to enter the apartment.
A damp rising column was used for extinction, and one “smoke-stopper“Installed to avoid the spread of smoke in the common areas. About fifty inhabitants spontaneously evacuated the building and gathered in the parking lot.
The fire, of accidental origin, was quickly mastered, but the affected accommodation became uninhabitable. After ventilation and control of the carbon monoxide rate, the other occupants were able to return to their apartments. The intervention ended around 11:45 p.m. The Brussels firefighters, the medical services of 112 and the Marlow zone police intervened on site. “”The smoke detector and the vigilant neighbor allowed rapid intervention, avoiding more serious human and material consequences“said Walter Derieuw. He recalls that smoke detectors have been compulsory in all Brussels housing since January 1, 2025. They must be of the optical type, in accordance with the standard EN 14604, with an incorporated battery of a lifespan of ten years.
