LEmergency services were called to intervene on Tuesday morning at around 2:45 a.m. at the waste treatment site of the sandpit, rue de la Petite Sibérie, in Mont-Saint-Guibert, in Walloon Brabant. This is the first time that the Guibertin site of in BW has been affected by a fire of this magnitude.
“The fire started in the sorting centre and more specifically in the household waste area. It then spread to the cardboard papers,” explained Mayor Julien Breuer to RTBF.
Significant smoke emissions
The fire currently raging at the Mont-Saint-Guibert waste sorting and transfer centre is expected to cause smoke to be released for several days, Nathalie Swaelens, spokesperson for the public company managing in BW, told the Belga agency on Tuesday.
The Walloon Brabant public prosecutor’s office has confirmed that the fire was accidental.
“The extinguishing operations are expected to continue and it is likely that smoke will escape from the site for several more days,” said Nathalie Swaelens, adding that the fire is no longer spreading.
In terms of waste, it is mainly paper, cardboard and bulky items that are burning. The smoke heading east from the disaster site is moving towards the municipalities of Mont-Saint-Guibert, Court-Saint-Étienne, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve and Wavre.
“The first news concerning the smoke analyses is reassuring regarding their potential toxicity, but this remains to be confirmed in the coming hours,” concluded the spokesperson.
Reinforcements called to the scene
Firefighters from Braine-l’Alleud, Jodoigne, Nivelles and Wavre were mobilised, as well as their colleagues from the neighbouring areas of Gembloux and Overijse. The red intervention plan was triggered and the provincial crisis centre activated.
Civil protection reinforcements were also requested shortly after 4:00 a.m., including a tanker and officers from the Crisnée unit, in the province of Liège. Drones were also expected on the scene shortly before 7:00 a.m.
Also mobilised were agents from the civil protection unit in Brasschaat (Antwerp), specialising in interventions related to accidents and pollution involving chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear substances. They will be responsible for carrying out air quality measurements.
Call to keep doors and windows closed
Due to the release of significant potentially toxic fumes, local residents have been asked to keep their doors and windows closed. Motorists driving on the E411-N4-N25 roads near the area must also keep their windows closed and activate the air circulation in their vehicles to avoid inhaling smoke.
Nearby schools – including the Lycée Martin V, with its two locations in Biéreau and Bruyères – have advised parents and students to immediately return to the school grounds and buildings, and not to linger in the street to avoid inhaling smoke residue, RTBF also reported.
On the Wallonie.be website, citizens are asked to avoid the affected area and follow the instructions of the authorities. Updates will be provided regularly through official channels to keep the population informed of the development of the situation: via the Telephone Call Center on 010/23.67.74 and on the website www.crisebw.be as well as on the Facebook page.
