Vilvoorde (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Train traffic between Vilvoorde and Mechelen resumed at 9 p.m. after a major disruption caused by a fire at a local waste processing company near the tracks.
A fire along the rails at trash processor Renewi temporarily stopped train service. Until tomorrow morning, there may still be consequential delays.
Frédéric Petit, a spokesman for Infrabel, said,
“It concerns a fire in a waste processing company in Vilvoorde.”
In particular, at the waste processor Renewi on the Mechelsesteenweg, a cargo of leftover waste caught fire.
“A combination of construction waste and residual waste has caught fire,”
says mayor Jo De Ro (Open VLD).
“So it mainly concerns household, garden and kitchen waste, but we do not know exactly what is in the bags. That is why we certainly want to play it safe.”
The fire brigade arrived quickly.
“The fire is both inside and outside a hangar,” says Wouter Jeanfils of the emergency services zone Flemish Brabant West.
“The fire is under control and will not spread, but we still expect that we will have to extinguish it for a few more hours before it is completely resolved.”
One person is currently healing after being overtaken by smoke and experiencing respiratory issues.
“The fire brigade has asked us to interrupt train traffic because of the smoke caused by the fire,”
NMBS said. As a result, four tracks between Mechelen and Vilvoorde were completely unusable from 16:25.
Following approval from the fire department, trains have resumed service between Vilvoorde, Belgium and Mechelen since 9 p.m. Throughout the evening, there is still a chance of consequential delays. According to NMBS, train traffic should return to normal tomorrow morning.
In order to prevent odor annoyance, residents in the neighborhood have been advised by a BE-Alert to shut windows and doors and switch off ventilation,” De Ro explains.
Are there any safety measures being implemented to prevent future interruptions?
In order to foresee and reduce risks like fires or accidents that could interrupt service, prospective hazards along the railway and adjacent industrial locations should be identified.
Ensuring that railway infrastructure is shielded from outside threats and that nearby facilities have sufficient fire prevention equipment (sprinklers, alarms).
Regular inspections of electrical equipment, wires, and trackside installations are necessary to identify and fix issues before they become serious enough to halt service.
To react quickly to incidents and reduce downtime, train operators, emergency agencies, and surrounding companies should establish clear communication lines.
