Brussels Police address rising house fires amid safety concerns

Andrea Calvello
Credit: The Brussels Fire Brigade

Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): Vehicle fire eruption incidents are becoming frequent in Brussels as nearly 500 house fires have taken place this year alone primarily affecting the municipalities of City of Brussels and St. Gilles. These problems are linked to the preponderance of old structures and economic crisis that the Brussels police are facing in an attempt to mitigate it.

Two houses burn in Brussels every day. Firefighters are well-trained and fast to respond there arriving at the scene three minutes faster than the average for their country. They’ve already fought 500 house fires this year which seems set to surpass the 743 experienced last year and 777 observed in 2022. Only one fire has been fatal this year so far which occurred back in April and was suspected of being intentionally lit.  Many other blazes have destroyed entire homes entirely rendering them uninhabitable while injuring occupants in some instances.

What measures are being taken to improve fire safety in Brussels?

There has been an increase in the number of times firefighters have been called to help at incidents from 2204 in 2012 to 3813 ten years later in 2022. Of all districts that recorded highest fire incidences according to population. It is observed that City of Brussels and Saint-Gilles are leading. Between them only this year there were 183 fires in environment of Brussels city where as at same time someone could count 39 on gifslingere. This year city itself has already counted 117 cases against 24 covering only areas where the risk was great during summer seasons such as Lebond-grainy lowlands and sometimes pollution hotspots due to atmospherical currents moving their way towards Ghent plateau or Maas river valley which suggest leakage smells . Schaerbeek, Anderlecht and Molenbeek districts also report many similar cases.

A number of the older buildings within Brussels were constructed prior to strict fire regulations being in place. Most inhabitants probably cant afford measures that could be taken for insulation against fire or buy smoke alarms. At present smoke alarms are mandatory only for rented properties. Starting from January 1 2025 smoke detectors would be required for all houses in Brussels. Many families are facing difficult financial situations due to energy crises occurring across entire territory of Belgium right now. Some residents go as far as installing barbeques inside their houses out of desperation for warmth itself which is life-threatening since carbon monoxide poisoning starts occurring from October till its peak time around winter season when it becomes extremely fatal .  This hot ashes can cause fires also.

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Brussels Morning is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.
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Andrea Calvello is a Journalist at Brussels Morning News. He is covering European Politics, European Parliament, European Council, European Commission and Europe News. He is a highly accomplished journalist and digital specialist with a wealth of experience in the media industry. He holds a Master's degree in Business Administration with a focus on marketing and digital transformation, as well as an Executive Master in Human Resources Management, Development, and Administration. Additionally, he has completed a specialization course in advertising communication, marketing, and Made in Italy communication and digital technologies. Calvello is also a member of the National Order of Journalists and has had a successful career as a TV journalist, bringing his expertise in marketing and digital communication to the world of television broadcasting. His diverse skill set and passion for innovation have set him apart as a dynamic and influential figure in the field of media and communications.
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