Diksmuide (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Diksmuide fire department, led by Captain Filip Vandenberghe, responded for the 2nd time to oil pollution on the Yser River near the marina, containing the spill and investigating its source.
As VRT News reported, for the 2nd straight day, the Diksmuide, in the province of West Flanders, Belgium, fire department responded to pollution on the Yser River near the marina and the Hogebrug bridge on Oct 6, 2025.
Fire Captain Filip Vandenberghe said the same oily substance had surfaced near the marina.
“We built a dam on the water in the marina,”
he explained.
“This helped us contain the pollution and track the direction of the flow to find out where it came from.”
What caused the repeated oil pollution on the Yser River in Diksmuide?
Captain Vandenberghe confirmed that it was the same type of pollution as reported on Sunday, Oct 5, 2025.
“It’s not engine oil, but possibly heating oil, diesel, or hydraulic oil,”
he said. He added that maintenance work had been done on the water last week, which might be connected to the incident.
Firefighters used a liquid degreaser once more to break down and remove the oily layer. The spills have been reported, and both the environmental agency and the local police are investigating the culprit. They have stated that they will prevent any further harm to the region’s natural environment.
On Monday, Oct 6, 2025, a new oil trace appeared on the same stretch of water, prompting another cleanup operation. Firefighters again treated the surface and collected samples for testing.
Experts believe the oil may come from a small hidden leak or from a vessel docked in the marina. Local authorities said the pollution is being closely monitored to prevent damage to the river’s ecosystem.
On Sunday morning, Oct 5, 2025, residents saw an oily layer floating on the water and alerted the emergency services. Firefighters quickly arrived and utilised absorbent materials and specialised cleaners to clean the film.
The fire team partnered with local authorities and environmental specialists to assist in the evaluation of other nearby drain points and a few vessels for leaks. After thorough examinations, the exact location of the pooling could be determined.
Recent years have seen similar incidents of oil pollution in various Belgian towns. In February 2025, the Dender canal in Ath, Wallonia, was closed while firefighters contained the oil spill with boats and chemical concentrators.
In May 2025, the spread of a one-kilometre oil leak in the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal near the ArcelorMittal steel plant was contained with floating barriers. In Sint-Truiden, 2,000 litres of heating oil underground tank oil spilt, affecting several kilometres of the Molenbeek stream and waterway.
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