Lokeren (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): A fire on 15th September at 7 AM in a 3rd-floor apartment on Vlasdam, Lokeren, led to 25 evacuations, 4 hospitalized for smoke inhalation, and a dog rescued, with laughing gas found.
On 15th September around 7 o’clock, a fire started in an apartment on the 3rd floor of a building on Vlasdam in Lokeren. A passer-by saw a lot of smoke coming from the building and quickly called for help. Firefighters and emergency workers got there fast and worked to put out the fire. Even though the firefighters responded quickly, the fire spread quickly inside the apartment. They were able to stop the fire from spreading to nearby apartments, but the affected apartment was almost completely destroyed.
What happened during the fire in Lokeren, and how were people and pets rescued?
As a safety measure after the fire, 25 people living in the building were moved to safer places inside while emergency services worked to control the situation. Four people had smoke inhalation and were taken to the hospital for treatment. Their condition is being watched, but it’s not clear if their injuries are serious. Emergency responders stayed at the scene to make sure the fire was completely out and to check for any other risks to the residents. The evacuated people will likely have to stay in temporary housing until everything is sorted out.
While putting out the fire, the firefighters found a dog hiding in a cupboard, likely trying to escape the smoke and heat. They saved the dog by giving it oxygen, and after a few minutes, it woke up. While checking the apartment after the fire, the firefighters also discovered 8 bottles of laughing gas. They said this could have been very dangerous because laughing gas can cause big explosions. Firefighters mentioned that the cause of the fire is still unknown, but it might have been due to an electrical device.
