Zillebeke Fire Destroys Warehouse, 50 Horses Rescued Safe
A devastating fire tore through a storage warehouse at Paardenpension De Paardenmolen in Zillebeke, near Ieper, on Thursday evening, completely destroying approximately 200 tons of straw and hay. Remarkably, all 50 horses housed at the facility were rescued unharmed, according to VRT NWS.
Rapid Blaze Forces Owner to Flee
The fire broke out on the evening of 23 July 2026 at the Komenseweg 78 facility. Owner Filip Lierman (52) was moving bales of hay and straw with a forklift when the exhaust is believed to have ignited the highly flammable material. The fire spread with terrifying speed.
“It went incredibly fast. We’re not talking about minutes, but seconds,” Lierman told VRT NWS. “I initially started extinguishing it myself, but the fire spread faster than I could put it out. I ultimately had to flee outside.”
Lierman sustained a burn to his head and was taken by ambulance to the emergency department during the night for treatment.
Massive Firefighting Response
Brandweer Westhoek received the emergency call at 20:34 and deployed approximately 100 firefighters to the scene, with 1 ladder truck, 3 pumpers, and 5 tankers. A tanker circuit was established to ensure sufficient water supply. The Komenseweg was closed to all traffic from the Vaartstraat intersection, as Het Nieuws van West-Vlaanderen reported.
The fire was brought under control after about one hour, but extinguishing and cooling operations continued through the night and into Friday afternoon. The smoke plume was visible from kilometers away near the provincial domain De Palingbeek.
All 50 Horses Safe
Firefighters prioritized protecting the adjacent horse stables and succeeded in preventing the flames from spreading. Horses grazing in a nearby pasture were moved to a more distant field for safety.
“The 50 horses are unharmed, that’s the most important thing,” Lierman said. “We contacted all the owners personally. Everyone came by to help and care for their animals.”
Mayor of Ieper, Katrien Desomer, visited the scene and confirmed that efforts were focused on safeguarding the nearby indoor arena. “All attention is focused on safeguarding the nearby indoor arena. That seems to be succeeding,” she told HLN.
Asbestos and Environmental Concerns
The warehouse roof contained asbestos, a common feature in older Belgian farm buildings. Specialized teams took samples and confirmed the presence of asbestos particles, though Captain Lieven Delva of Brandweer Westhoek stated that “the asbestos particles remained limited to the site of the fire itself.”
On Friday morning, shifting winds caused smoke to drift toward the center of Ieper, several kilometers away. A BE-Alert — Belgium’s mass emergency notification system — was issued, advising residents to close windows and doors and turn off ventilation systems. Focus-WTV reported that the warning was sent to ensure public safety.
Ongoing Operations and Economic Impact
Firefighter Johan Bonnier explained that crews were working through Friday to empty the warehouse completely. “Currently we are emptying that warehouse completely. It was filled with hay for the horses for this winter,” he said. “Because the hay still flares up violently at times, we are trying to get this under control. In collaboration with contractors, we are removing the entire stock of approximately 400 tons of hay from the warehouse.”
The total loss includes approximately 200 tons of straw and 400 tons of hay — the entire winter feed supply for the horses — representing a significant financial blow to the family-run business.
Broader Context
This incident is part of a pattern of summer fires involving hay and straw in the Westhoek region. Just two weeks prior, on 11 July 2026, a truck carrying straw caught fire on the E17 highway in Aalbeke. Other recent incidents include a fire destroying a wood storage facility on 16 July and a house fire in Bissegem.
The conversion of old farm buildings — in this case, a former pigsty — into storage for highly flammable materials like hay and straw presents inherent fire risks, particularly during dry summer conditions and when using machinery such as forklifts.
What’s Next
Firefighting operations concluded Friday afternoon after the remaining hay was spread on a nearby sand arena and extinguished. The full extent of the financial damage has yet to be determined, and questions remain about whether the business will be able to recover and continue operations. Authorities have confirmed that follow-up assessments regarding the asbestos contamination will be conducted.
For the community of Zillebeke and the horse owners who board their animals at De Paardenmolen, the primary relief remains that no lives — human or animal — were lost in the blaze.