Fire at Evere Care Home Sends 10 Residents to Hospital

A fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning at the Résidence Azalées care home in Evere, Brussels, sending 10 residents to hospital with symptoms of smoke inhalation. The Brussels fire brigade received the alarm just before 5 AM and responded quickly to evacuate the affected corridor of the three-story building on Rue Colonel Bourg.

Rapid Response to a Vulnerable Population

The fire brigade immediately scaled up its response given the nature of the incident. “We immediately scaled up because it was a fire in a care home,” said Walter Derieuw, spokesperson for the Brussels Fire Brigade, as reported by VRT NWS. The fire originated in a hallway on the second floor, and while the blaze itself was small, the corridor quickly filled with smoke.

“It was a small fire, but the hallway was filled with smoke,” Derieuw explained. “We evacuated the entire corridor; 10 residents were taken to hospital with symptoms of smoke inhalation. Most had light complaints, but 1 resident was more seriously affected. He was not in life danger.”

Evacuation and Medical Response

In total, about 20 residents were evacuated from the affected corridor. The Red Cross set up an advanced medical post in the care home’s cafeteria, and a medical emergency plan was triggered. Nine of the hospitalized residents had light symptoms, while one was more seriously affected but not in life-threatening condition.

Beyond the 10 residents taken to hospital, 15 additional residents required relocation to other care homes within the same group, Novadia, because the affected wing was declared temporarily uninhabitable due to smoke damage. The intervention was completed by mid-morning.

Fire Prevention Measures Prove Effective

According to the fire brigade, the building’s fire safety systems played a crucial role in limiting the incident’s impact. “The prevention measures, such as smoke extraction and fire doors, worked well. It’s a modern building,” Derieuw said. The building is described as a modern square construction with a patio in the center. Fire doors in one part of the wing were closed, preventing smoke from spreading to that section.

“We were called just before 5 AM for a fire in a hallway on the 2nd floor of a care home,” Derieuw told RTBF. “Upon arrival, there was smoke in half of the wing on the second floor. In the other part, the fire doors were closed. There was therefore no smoke in that second part.”

“All fire prevention measures worked as they should,” Derieuw added, as quoted by HLN. “This made it unnecessary to evacuate the entire building.” The other floors and other wings of the second floor were not damaged, and residents there could remain in their rooms.

The origin of the fire is considered accidental but still requires further investigation, according to the fire brigade.

About the Care Home

The Résidence Azalées is a care home operated by the Novadia Group, one of Belgium’s major care home operators. The facility, which opened in December 2014, has 180 beds including 20 beds in an Alzheimer’s care unit. It offers permanent accommodation, convalescence stays, and specialized dementia care.

Context: Fire Safety in Evere Care Homes

This incident brings renewed attention to fire safety in care homes in the Evere area. In March 2023, a fire at a different care home in Evere resulted in one resident’s death and 17 people affected by smoke, as VRT NWS reported at the time. That fire started in a room on the second floor and required partial evacuation of the third and fourth floors.

Belgian care homes are subject to strict fire safety regulations, including requirements for fire doors, smoke extraction systems, and evacuation procedures. The fire brigade’s comments about the effectiveness of prevention measures in this incident underscore the importance of these systems in protecting vulnerable residents.

What’s Next

The investigation into the fire’s origin continues, and the 15 relocated residents will remain in alternative accommodations while the affected wing is repaired. The 10 hospitalized residents are expected to recover, with none in life-threatening condition. The incident serves as a reminder of both the risks facing elderly residents in care facilities and the critical role that modern fire safety infrastructure plays in mitigating those risks.