Accident or criminal act? This is the question that burns the lips of residents, but also of the judicial and police authorities only a few hours after the impressive explosion that took place last night, around 2:45 am, on the road to Philippeville (N5) in Marcinelle (Charleroi).
Carolo prosecutor’s office plays the card of prudence
Window of the facts very early this Friday morning, the Charleroi prosecution was content to communicate at the end of the morning that it “remains to be determined” the origin of the explosion and the fire and that no thesis is currently privileged. Is it a certain form of prudence or simply an honest response, linked to a lack of clues? Difficult to answer this question, but the lack of confirmation strengthens the circulation of rumors of all kinds.
If at first, the thesis of an explosion following a gas leak was mentioned, this track has since been kicked out by Touche by Ores, manager of the Gazelectricity Networks. While, according to our information, many calls would have taken place with the emergency services, before the explosion, mentioning a gas smell in the air. On this subject, the Charleroi police specify “that checks will be carried out to verify this information and therefore identify the author (s) of these calls which would have been made.”
The criminal or voluntary origin has therefore reappeared among the possible causes. Especially since on February 25, the district was completed following the presence of a grenade on the gateway to the chicha bar located next to the shops blown by the explosion of this night. Without forgetting, of course, the wave of criminal fires that affected several Horeca establishments in the black country in recent months.
The rumor of a car trapped placed on the scene would not hold the road. And according to Caroline Wagner, owner of the premises with her listed company and presents to Marcinelle this Friday morning, no threat was received. Pending a possible new communication of the prosecution on new elements, the mystery remains and the investigation supported by the Federal Judicial Police (PJF) of Charleroi should quickly issue his first responses …
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