State funeral honours Brussels firefighter killed in gas explosion

Sergeant-Major Olivier Francotte, a Brussels firefighter killed in a gas explosion on 14 August, was honoured in a state funeral on Monday at the Basilica of Koekelberg in the Belgian capital.

The funeral service was attended by a representative from the Royal Palace and a large number of colleagues from various emergency services zones, along with representatives of the European institutions and delegations from the Netherlands and France.

Belgium’s king also expressed “his deepest respect” and a colleague of Francotte who was injured in the same incident was present at the service and paid a personal tribute.

“The large number of people in attendance and the many expressions of sympathy show just how much he meant, both within and outside our service,” said fire service spokesperson Walter Derieuw.

“This large turnout demonstrated the strong sense of unity and solidarity within the fire service family and amongst its partners, across borders.”

Francotte was posthumously promoted to the rank of adjutant and awarded the Civil Cross, First Class.

The service began with a procession through Brussels from the fire station on Avenue de l'Héliport to the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg, accompanied by bagpipers.

Francotte’s coffin was transported in a fire engine. About a dozen vehicles took part in the procession, followed by Francotte’s family and fellow firefighters.

After the state service, a private burial took place.

50-year-old Francotte died in a gas explosion at the European Single Resolution Board (SRB) building on Treurenberg that left another firefighter and two Sibelga employees seriously injured.

Firefighters and Sibelga staff were responding to a gas leak caused when a contractor accidentally damaged a low-pressure pipe.