Borsbeek ( Brussels Morning Newspaper): On January 6, 2025, a car was burned down in Borsbeek. Police suspect the fire was started because a side window was smashed. Everyone reacted promptly, as it is not normal to find a car ablaze.
The fire was reported at a time in the morning and created the impression of arson; therefore, a police inquiry was launched. Witnesses said that they saw the car on fire, and the fire was growing faster till firefighters got there. Praise for the event, except that nobody was injured, but some residents expressed worry and insecurity about the occurrence of such an event, and at times, they felt such places might harbour criminal activities.
On January 6, 2025, at Borsbeek, a car was burned, and the local police regarded the event as an instance of arson. Crews were able to put out the flames more or less quickly; luckily, there were no injuries, but the fire left residents worried for safety. Police authorities of the region are appealing to the public to volunteer any information they have regarding any suspicious activities during the fire, as such incidents have been increasing in the area. Firefighters were able to put out the fire, but the car was left heavily burnt. Local policemen have since sealed off the area to enable them to conduct a detailed search to determine the cause of the fire. First, investigatory findings show that there may have been a deliberate action as there were no signs of mechanical problems or accidental sparks. Police departments are asking the public to come forward with any information that may help officials in their investigations; detectives are asking citizens who might have been witnessing any odd behaviour around the time of the fire to volunteer information. The research plan seeks to find out whether this case qualifies as a vehicle crime common occurrence in Borsbeek.
Rising concerns over vehicle fires and community safety
It is not the case that this has only occurred in Borsbeek; car fires have become quite rampant in some of the neighbourhoods within Belgium. Over the past few months, a number of such occurrences have been documented, thus making the inhabitants of such areas increasingly more concerned about physical security in their areas of residence. Mayors of regions have stressed raising awareness and participation of local people to stop such incidents from occurring in the first place.
As a result of the increasing worries, police stations in the region have increased the mobilisation and campaigns asking people how and when to report strange characters. Moreover, local authorities are examining other possibilities on how the security in the particular region could be increased in terms of overview, such as increasing the number of CCTV cameras and better lighting on the streets. While other recent car fires are still under probe, security agencies are focused on fostering the safety of residents at Borsbeek and eradicating sources of such disasters.
