Fire in block of flats may have been started deliberately
A block of flats in Anderlues (Hainaut) was severely damaged by fire on Sunday night. The Fire Service says that the fire could have been started deliberately. The Judicial Police is at the scene together evidence.
The Fire Service received a call to deal with a blaze on in the cellar of the six-story block in Anderlues, about 10km west of Charleroi. The fire spread from the cellar, even reaching the sixth floor of the building, Fire Service sources told the press agency Belga.
No one was injured in the blaze. However, several people had to be rescued from the building. A number of residents of the building suffered slight ill-effects from smoke inhalation.
A total of 40 people were evacuated from the building. 19 of them were offered alternative accommodation for the night, the Mayor of Anderlues Philippe Tison (Francophone socialist) told the Francophone public broadcaster RTBF.
burgemeester van Anderlues, Philippe Tison, aan RTBF.
The Municipal Disaster Action Plan was in force and around a dozen fire engines were sent to tackle the blaze.