A fire at a waste processing company in the Brussels municipality of Anderlecht is causing disruption to train traffic. The flames are no longer spreading but will take several hours to extinguish.
Train traffic between Ghent and Brussels has been disrupted by the smoke from the fire as the site is next to the railway line.
According to fire brigade spokesperson Walter Derieuw, the fire involves a pile of waste covering an area of around 50 square metres. “It is probably an accidental fire, as is often the case with this type of waste processing company,” he said.
The blaze is causing a thick plume of smoke, but firefighters are on site and have the situation under control. People living nearby are advised to keep windows and doors closed.
The pile of waste is now being dismantled with a crane from the company so that everything can be extinguished
“The flames can no longer spread, but we will still have to spend hours extinguishing and cooling the site,” said Derieuw. “The pile of waste is now being dismantled with a crane from the company so that everything can be extinguished.”
Intercity trains to Brussels from Ghent are being diverted. “The fire broke out at a company located right next to the direct railway line between Brussels and Ghent, where high-speed trains pass,” said Thomas Baeken of Infrabel, which manages railway infrastructure.
“For safety reasons, no trains are allowed to run there at this time. So all trains have to be diverted locally via another railway line that is also used by local trains. This will result in longer journey times and some trains have also been cancelled.”
Passengers are advised to check the NMBS app or website for updates before departure.