Nederename (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Twelve houses in Nederename required emergency evacuation due to a gas leak that occurred in Oudstrijdersstraat within the Oudenaarde sub-municipality. The public works struck a gas pipeline, which caused the fire department to establish a 50-meter exclusion zone around the area.
The residents of twelve homes in Nederename pursued evacuation as a safety measure due to a gas leak that occurred in Oudstrijdersstraat. Public works actions caused an accident involving the gas pipeline, leading the fire department to create a fifty-meter safety region. Authorities evacuated seven citizens from their houses for added safety. Positioned at the site, Fluvius works to resolve the problem.
The gas leak occurred during utility drilling operations in Oudstrijdersstraat shortly after the start of daylight. Employees quickly notified the fire department and allowed firefighters to establish a 50-meter boundary for safety purposes. Multiple residential buildings are affected by the damaged pipe, so safety risks have become a serious concern.
Mayor Marnic De Meulemeester (Open VLD) stated,
The situation is under control. The preventively evacuated residents are currently being well cared for in the Sint-Vaast community center. This concerns the residents of 12 surrounding houses. We are closely monitoring the situation.
The interruption will continue for an extended period, according to Jonathan Jouret of the Flemish Ardennes Fire Brigade, because repair work must be finished first.
What is the history of gas leaks and safety measures in Oudenaarde?
Gas leaks remain unusual but have historically endangered urban regions, which include Oudenaarde and its sub-municipalities, particularly Nederename.
Since the mid-twentieth century, the area has maintained an extensively documented utility system after extensive pipeline installations were made to serve increasing residential and industrial development.
Pipelines have suffered accidental damage throughout the years while public works were in progress; therefore, authorities created stricter safety measures to prevent further occurrences. The grid operators at Fluvius have directed their focus to modernize outdated infrastructure while developing more effective emergency measures in the last few decades.
The Nederename situation reveals the continuing risks associated with preserving safety when operating utility networks in densely inhabited regions.
