Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A fuel oil leak at ArcelorMittal Ghent spread into the canal. Fire brigade (Börn Bryon) responded on May 6, 2025, at 1:30 AM, used oil booms; cleanup began at 3:30 AM with suction trucks.
As VRT News reported, last night, May 6, 2025, an employee at ArcelorMittal in Ghent noticed fuel oil and quickly informed the emergency services. The fire brigade arrived on site around 1:30 AM to deal with a significant fuel oil leak. According to fire brigade spokesperson Börn Bryon, the oil had moved from the industrial site into the sewer system. It then went into the Ghent-Terneuzen canal.
He mentioned that the pollution spread about a kilometre along the canal, which could potentially harm the aquatic environment and have a wider ecological impact. The employee’s quick action in identifying the problem and the rapid response from the emergency services helped to limit the extent of the environmental damage.
How did teams contain the 1km fuel spill from ArcelorMittal?
To stop the oil from spreading, the fire brigade used oil booms. These are floating barriers. They stay on the water’s surface, with a small part above and a skirt below to catch oil. This keeps the oil in one place.
Officials mentioned that the booms also stop the oil from going to places where it could affect wildlife or boats. Using oil booms is a usual part of dealing with spills in water. They helped to keep the situation under control and let the cleanup begin, reducing the long-term effects on the environment.
Fire brigade spokesperson Börn Bryon said they couldn’t remove the oil. They don’t have the special vehicles needed. ArcelorMittal hired a cleanup company to do the work. This company began around 3:30 AM, about 2 hours after the fire department was called.
They used special suction vehicles to carefully take the fuel oil out of the water. This process needs precision and could take several hours, depending on how much oil there is and how far the pollution goes.
To help contain the oil, they slowed down boats on the canal. They mentioned that this was important because fast-moving boats could make waves. Waves could cause the oil to go over the booms, spreading the pollution. By slowing down the water’s movement, they kept the booms working and let the cleanup team safely remove the oil.
