Godveerdegem –
A serious fire in Godveerdegem, a sub-municipality of Zottegem, has claimed the life of the resident of a house in Leliestraat. About forty local residents were evacuated and the fire also released asbestos.
The fire was noticed around 2.15 am, but the fire brigade had a tough task. The fire raged so fiercely that the Zottegem fire station, assisted by the Brakel and Herzele stations, could not enter the house even after two hours of extinguishing the fire.
(read more below the photos)
The Zottegem fire station attacked the spreading house fire using, among other things, the ladder truck. — © edp
The emergency services are ready to assist any victims. — © edp
Tweekerkenstraat is closed to all traffic. — © edp
Eighties
On Saturday afternoon, the fire brigade found the body of the octogenarian. The cause of the fire is not yet known, but is currently being investigated by a fire expert. The house was completely destroyed by the fire. “The fire started around 2.15 am and spread to the adjacent house,” confirms Mayor Evelien De Both (N-VA). “The emergency services immediately arrived on site, assisted by the emergency services of the surrounding municipalities, including the fire brigades of Brakel and Herzele.”
After noon, emergency services found the resident’s body during a sweep of the building. The sweeping turned out to be a dangerous job because of the instability.
“By morning the fire was extinguished,” the mayor said. “About forty residents of adjacent houses and nearby apartment buildings were evacuated and sheltered with relatives and in De Bron, which temporarily serves as a reception center. There were no casualties among local residents.”
Asbestos
Asbestos was released during the fire. The fire brigade is busy clearing asbestos from nearby houses and apartments. An asbestos expert is on site to monitor the situation and has already found asbestos on the streets and balconies of some homes.
Due to the fire, Leliestraat and Tweekerkenstraat will remain closed to traffic for the time being. The fire brigade is currently concentrating on spraying away the asbestos.
Mayor De Both expresses her exceptional gratitude to all the emergency services, police, fire brigade and medical services, who were on site all night. The fire brigade will still have a few hours of work to do. (Eric De Pessemier)