Oil Spill in Antwerp Impacts City Centre Roads and Cyclists

Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A major oil spill in Antwerp, stretching from Groenplaats to the Kaaien, has made roads slippery. Fire brigade spokesperson Jasmien O says cleanup is ongoing; the cause is still unknown.

As VRT News reported, emergency services in Antwerp are handling a major oil spill. The spill has made many streets very slippery and dangerous. The oil starts at Groenplaats, goes through the Wilde Zee shopping area, and reaches the Kaaien near the Scheldt river. 

Officials mentioned that these areas are usually busy with people, bikes, and cars. Jasmien O, from the Antwerp fire brigade, said the oil trail is quite long and makes the streets slippery. People are asked to stay away from these areas until the problem is fixed.

What caused the major oil spill disrupting central Antwerp?

The Antwerp fire brigade is using all available help to clean up the oil spill. They are getting extra support from nearby fire stations, Civil Protection, and city services. The crews are working hard to clean the oil with special materials to make the streets safe. 

They are also dealing with traffic and possibly closing roads to prevent accidents. They said it may take a long time to clear everything up. They are also working on investigating what caused the spill, possibly a leaking truck or illegally dumped waste.

The Antwerp fire brigade have said that it is still safe to walk about the city centre. Jasmien O said that pedestrians should be able to go everywhere very easily. But cyclists must take care, the oil is making the roads slippery, and falling off is a big problem.

The emergency teams are doing their best to save the area, but cycling is still not safe. They have closed most of the city centre off to traffic to avoid accidents, so vehicles do not interfere with emergency crews. Drivers are being asked not to come into the area.

The reason for cause of the oil spill is still unclear. Emergency services do not know the source of the oil yet and therefore have started their investigations. They emphasised that it could be caused by a vehicle, due to an accident at the factory or that someone made a careless mistake by dumping oil incorrectly. The fire brigade is now focusing all its efforts on cleaning up the oil.