Wevelgem (Eurotoday) – A fire broke out in an apartment in Wevelgem, possibly caused by a cigarette. Firefighters managed to contain the blaze, but the damage was extensive. Investigations into potential arson are ongoing.
A fire broke out in a home after the resident returned from work and lit a cigarette. The resident was sitting down when a sudden flame engulfed the couch. He was shocked and attempted to grasp the situation as the fire quickly spread.
He said,
“I don’t know where it came from, but the couch was on fire.”
The fire quickly got worse, and he called for help right away. The exact cause of the flame is still unknown. It remains unclear whether the lit cigarette directly ignited the fire or other factors caused it.
The fire broke out on the third floor. Credit: Joerie Dewagenaere
What caused the fire in Wevelgem that led to evacuations and investigations?
The local fire department responded quickly to the fire and sent many resources to control it. They closed off Brugstraat and part of the Grote Markt to keep people safe and to allow emergency workers to do their jobs.
Firefighters were able to contain the fire in the living room and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the house. Despite their hard work, the damage was so serious that the house could not be lived in for now. Investigations are still underway to determine what caused the fire in the first place.
A firefighter injured his foot while trying to stop the fire and was taken to the hospital by ambulance for treatment. To keep everyone safe, all the residents of the apartment building had to leave their homes.
They were given a place to stay in a nearby bank while they waited for the firefighters to finish their work. About an hour later, after the fire was stopped and the apartments were checked for safety, the residents were allowed to go back home.
The person who lived in the apartment where the fire began was taken to the police station for questioning. Police Chief Didier Vandecasteele said that investigators are investigating whether the fire might have been started on purpose.
He mentioned,
“There may be arson, and he is being questioned about that,”
which shows that the investigation is still in the early stages.
The cause of the fire is still not clear, and the fire officer did not want to comment on this incident because the situation is serious and there is uncertainty about how it broke out. A fire expert was called to the scene to do a full investigation. The expert will carefully check the evidence, including where the fire erupted, any materials that could have helped it to spread, and other things that might give clues about the incident.
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