3,000 evacuated due to fire at factory in West Flanders

A massive fire at the Horafrost frozen vegetable factory in Westrozebeke in West Flanders forced almost 3,000 residents to evacuate their homes due to thick smoke.

The municipality activated its emergency plan and called for people to leave the area quickly as a health precaution until firefighters eventually brought the blaze under control.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown.

Significant smoke lingered after the blaze was contained because, according to mayor Ludwig Willaert (CD&V), a lot of freezers were on fire.

A handful of people suffering from respiratory irritation were taken to hospital, mainly as a precaution, and were released later in the day.

The fire broke out in a warehouse shortly after midnight on Saturday, spreading quickly to other buildings on the site. The plume of smoke was visible for several kilometres around.

Several fire stations from the Midwest and Westhoek fire districts were deployed to the massive fire, with an about 150 firefighters mobilised.

No traces of carbon monoxide were detected and the entire area was cleared on Saturday evening.

Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele (N-VA) thanked the emergency services for their rapid response and the local authorities for coordinating the difficult situation.