Saturday’s fire at a hotel on Adolphe Maxlaan in downtown Brussels was possibly the result of arson, Brussels police now say. ‘There are indications that the fire may have been caused deliberately,’ the police note.
As many as 80 hotel guests and staff were evacuated from the hotel on Saturday night after a fire started on the third floor. Several surrounding buildings were also cleared. Three people received on-the-spot treatment for smoke inhalation.
‘Together with the emergency services, the police established a medical post in a nearby hotel,’ explains Linda Camarero-Verde of Brussels police. ‘The police also set out a security perimeter to facilitate the firefighters' work. In total, about eighty people were evacuated, many of whom were given temporary accommodation in nearby hotels. Thanks to the rapid and effective intervention of the fire service, nobody was injured.’
The Brussels public prosecutor's office has been informed and an investigation is under way. ‘According to the preliminary results if the investigation, there may have been malicious intent. An expert from the prosecutor's office and the forensic lab visited the site on Sunday,’ Ms Camarero-Verde explained. ‘There are indications that the cause of the fire may have been a deliberate attempt at arson. However, the exact circumstances and cause of the incident remain unclear and are part of an ongoing investigation.’