Anderlecht Fire Under Control After Emergency Plan Activated
A large roof fire that broke out at a storage facility in Anderlecht, Brussels, on Saturday morning has been brought under control after authorities activated the municipal emergency plan and evacuated approximately 50 nearby residents. The blaze, which began in the early morning on Maurice Herbettelaan, produced a massive black smoke plume visible across the Brussels-Capital Region.
Context
The fire occurred at a single-story storage facility within a building block in Anderlecht, one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, home to approximately 120,000 residents. The Brussels Fire Brigade deployed around 60 firefighters and five fire engines with pumps to combat the blaze, according to VRT NWS.
Key Developments
Fire crews arrived promptly after the initial call and found the roof of the warehouse fully engulfed in flames. The blaze produced a massive column of black smoke that was visible across Brussels and neighboring municipalities, prompting numerous calls from concerned residents.
By the late morning, the BE-Alert mass notification system was activated, warning nearby residents to close windows and doors and switch off ventilation systems. The municipal emergency plan was also activated at this time to coordinate the multi-agency response, including evacuation, shelter, and public information efforts.
According to HLN, the fire was brought under control by mid-morning, approximately three hours after the initial call. However, one hot spot remained difficult to reach, and extinguishing operations were expected to continue into the afternoon.
Walter Derieuw, spokesperson for the Brussels Fire Brigade, confirmed that the fire was under control but urged continued caution. “The roof of the building is made of metal, so there is no asbestos danger. And although the fire is under control and the smoke has already significantly reduced, we ask residents to keep windows and doors closed,” Derieuw said.
Approximately 50 residents were evacuated to a nearby school serving as a Red Cross shelter. Mayor of Anderlecht Fabrice Cumps noted that many residents had left their homes in haste with little warning. “People were still in their pajamas and were taken to reception centers. The services will provide everything necessary there,” Cumps stated. The municipality confirmed that all efforts were being made to allow evacuated residents to return home as quickly as possible.
One firefighter sustained a minor knee injury during the operation and was taken to hospital for treatment. Derieuw also expressed gratitude to a local resident who provided extra bottles of water for the firefighters working at the scene.
Analysis
The response to the fire demonstrated effective emergency protocols in Belgium’s capital region. The activation of the BE-Alert system and the municipal emergency plan ensured clear communication with the public, while the swift deployment of firefighting resources contained the blaze within approximately three hours. The coordination between the Brussels Fire Brigade, the municipality of Anderlecht, and the Red Cross highlights the established framework for handling major incidents in densely populated urban areas.
Authorities were transparent about potential hazards, including a limited amount of asbestos in the roof. Derieuw emphasized that the metal roof structure meant there was no significant asbestos danger, with the quantity released comparable to a normal fire. A high-voltage electrical cabinet on site was disconnected and secured, while solar panels on the roof added complexity to the firefighting operation.
Bruzz reported that this incident follows several notable fires in the Brussels region in recent weeks, including a fire in Molenbeek on June 3 that hospitalized six people with smoke inhalation, and a large fire in Tubeke on May 25 whose smoke plume was visible across Brussels. An apartment fire in Anderlecht on May 23 had also left four people overcome by smoke.
What’s Next
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with authorities examining two possible scenarios: whether the fire started on the roof or on the courtyard where construction materials and e-steps (electric scooters) were stored. The presence of these materials, along with solar panels on the roof, is being closely examined as potential contributing factors.
The municipality confirmed that efforts are underway to allow evacuated residents to return home as soon as possible, though no specific timeline has been provided. No damage estimate has been released yet, and the full extent of the destruction to the storage facility and its contents remains unclear.