For the second consecutive night firefighters in Brussels were called out on Sunday to tackle at fire at a disused petrol station in Anderlecht that is being used as a squat. The fire service was at the scene quickly and the fire was soon extinguished. One firefighter was slightly injured. The petrol station has been closed for several years.
Video: Second fire in two days at empty petrol station that is being used as a squat
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Local resident Sean Maas told VRT News that "At around 1:30am I was awakened by sirens I went onto my balcony to take a look and it was a case of ‘same again’. The abandoned petrol station was in flames”.
Walter Derieuw of the Brussels Fire Service confirmed that once again the disused petrol station on the Twee Stationsstraat was on fire. On Saturday the fire was outside the forecourt building and was easily extinguished. However, on Sunday night the fire was more intense, and the fire service used four hoses to tackle the fire.
"One of our colleagues was slightly injured. Part of the ventilation grill fell on him, and he was taken to hospital. He has since been able to leave hospital but is unfit to work”.
Squatters
Sean Maas told VRT News that the squatters that are living at the abandoned petrol station have been causing a nuisance in the area. “The petrol station has been empty for around 4 years. There is a lot of rubbish and we often hear shouting coming from there. This week I was followed by someone that had come out of that building”.
The cause of the fire is as yet unknown. "There were no squatters there when we arrived. An investigation will find out whether they were responsible for the fire”.