Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper): Strong storms on January 1 caused 160 calls and 54 emergencies in Flemish Brabant, with fallen trees disrupting services in Halle and Leuven.
On January 1, strong storms hit Flemish Brabant West, causing emergency calls for the fire department. They managed around 160 regular fire and ambulance calls but also responded to 54 storm-related emergencies. Areas like Halle, Beersel, and Sint-Pieters-Leeuw were particularly hard hit, with reports of fallen trees, broken branches, and roof tiles blown off by the wind. Some trees blocked roads and damaged buildings or cars, while others fell on power lines, creating dangerous situations that needed immediate attention.
How did Pajottegem respond to storm damage and power Outages?
In Pajottegem, fallen trees caused serious issues by bringing down power lines. To handle the situation, firefighters joined forces with Fluvius, the local power company. They worked together to clear the area and restore electricity as quickly as possible. It has been said that despite the heavy workload, the fire zone’s quick response prevented further damage and highlighted the importance of collaboration in dealing with major weather events.
In Leuven, the fire department responded to a fallen tree at the Higher Institute for Philosophy, an important landmark of KU Leuven. Meanwhile, in Brussels, they received 32 calls due to the storm, dealing with loose cables, roof tiles, and fallen trees. The wind also disrupted train services when a tree fell on the overhead line at Simonis station, causing a brief halt in train traffic between Brussels-South and Schaarbeek.
