Fire broke out in the Europacentrum tower block in the centre of the seaside resort of Ostend last night. 30 residents had to be evacuated. The fire started in a flat on the 18th floor. The flat’s residents needed medical check-up and were rushed to hospital.
The fire started just after 11pm last night in the residential tower block on the Van Iseghemlaan. The blaze broke out in a flat on the 18th floor. A heating appliance had probably been placed too close to the curtains. Fire experts are examining the scene to establish exactly what happened.
The people in the flat managed to get out in time, but they were taken to hospital as a precaution. Some 30 other residents were evacuated as a preventive measure.
Search for accommodation
"The residents of the affected flat could not return home," said Mayor Bart Tommelein (Flemish liberal/Open VLD). "Today we will see where they can be accommodated."
The fire service quickly had the fire under control, allowing the evacuated residents to return home last night. The street was closed to all traffic for a while during the fire service operation.