Kortenberg (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Kortenberg fire brigade rescued a burning house cat from a fire. The resident exited independently from the house located at Donkerstraat. The building suffered severe damage, yet no one was hurt during the incident. The roof fire began due to electrical work on the property.
The Kortenberg Donkerstraat house caught fire when electrical work failed so the fire brigade saved a trapped animal they found in the burning building. The resident escaped safely from the house while the property sustained serious roof damage.
The firefighting team received the emergency call shortly before 2 p.m. as they witnessed roof fire emanations from behind. Firefighters retrieved a cat during their complex firefighting response to extinguish the blaze even though the house resident had already escaped safely. The authorities declared that no suspicious activity contributed to the accident.
The resident had already gotten outside,
says Wouter Jeanfils of the West fire department.
We did rescue the cat from the house. The extinguishing work was somewhat complex, but we got the flames under control.
The damage to the roof is extensive.
The fire was probably caused by electrical work in the house. There are certainly no indications of malicious intent.
What are the risks of electrical fires in residential areas?
Electrical fires represent an important percentage of residential fire incidents that lead Belgian fire services to handle multiple hundreds of cases per year. Federal Public Service for Home Affairs reports that incorrect wiring, along with overloaded circuits and inadequate electrical work, creates about half of all house fires in Belgium. Electrical malfunctions caused more than 1,200 fires in 2022, which led to severe property losses and injuries to occupants.
Kortenberg, located in Flemish Brabant, has experienced several fire incidents during recent years, with electricity becoming the reason for 15% of these events. The requirement for licensed electricians exists under safety standards, but homeowners must continue doing electrical work independently.
The Belgian Fire Prevention Association stresses routine examinations of homes while marking structures built before 1980 as high-risk due to their outdated power cables. Electrical fires normally lead to minimal fatalities but result in substantial yearly property damages totalling €50 million across the country.
