Gas cylinders fuel explosions at Kortrijk warehouse fire, no injuries
A major fire broke out in a warehouse behind a kitchen showroom in Kortrijk, Belgium, with repeated explosions likely caused by gas cylinders, the mayor said.
A large fire broke out on Friday in an old warehouse behind the Dovy Keukens showroom in the Belgian city of Kortrijk, triggering repeated explosions, Belgian outlet HLN reported. No injuries were reported.
The fire started with a major explosion in the warehouse, Kortrijk mayor Ruth Vandenberghe said. Emergency service Fluvia scaled up its response sharply, sending all available firefighting resources to the site with the highest priority because of the risk of further explosions, HLN reported.
The warehouse, located in the It Hoge district south of the E17 motorway, does not belong to Dovy Keukens, and the kitchen retailer's own premises were not damaged, HLN reported. Nearby residents were evacuated or told to stay indoors, and others received an emergency BE-Alert message to keep windows and doors shut, the mayor said.
By the time of the later report, the fire was more or less under control, though a risk of collapse remained for firefighters at the scene, Vandenberghe said. The explosions were probably caused by gas cylinders stored in the warehouse, the mayor said, adding that what else was stored there was not yet known.
The large-scale firefighting response is expected to delay other emergency callouts in the region, including storm-related interventions, rescue service Fluvia said.
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What we know
- 2+ outlets · HLN, Het Nieuwsblad +1 A major fire broke out in a warehouse behind the Dovy Keukens showroom in Kortrijk on Friday, triggering repeated explosions, HLN reported.
- 1 outlet · HLN No injuries were reported; the fire was later described as more or less under control, though a collapse risk remained for firefighters.
- Official · Kortrijk mayor Ruth Vandenberghe The explosions were probably caused by gas cylinders stored in the warehouse, Kortrijk mayor Ruth Vandenberghe said.
- 1 outlet · HLN Nearby residents were evacuated or told to shelter in place; the large response is expected to delay other emergency callouts in the region.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed What else was stored in the warehouse, and the cause of the initial explosion, had not been established at the time of reporting.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The scale of the firefighting response, with all available resources from emergency service Fluvia sent to the site, has left the wider Kortrijk region with reduced emergency capacity, including for storm-related call-outs during the same period.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 1 countries.
- HLN: Aanhoudende ontploffingen bij zware brand in Kortrijk: brandweer zet alle beschikbare middelen in
- HLN: Brandweer zet alle beschikbare middelen in om zware brand in Kortrijk te bestrijden: “Vuur is min of meer onder controle”
- Het Nieuwsblad: Uitslaande brand uitgebroken in loods achter toonzaal van Dovy Keukens in Kortrijk
- De Morgen: Zware uitslaande brand in loods in Kortrijk: nog steeds ontploffingen aan de gang
- Het Nieuwsblad: Brand achter toonzaal van Dovy Keukens in Kortrijk onder controle: “Ontploffingen waarschijnlijk veroorzaakt door gasflessen”
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- Where did the fire break out?
- In an old warehouse behind the Dovy Keukens kitchen showroom in the It Hoge district of Kortrijk, Belgium.
- Was anyone hurt?
- No injuries were reported, though a risk of building collapse remained for firefighters at the scene.
- What caused the explosions?
- The mayor said they were probably caused by gas cylinders stored in the warehouse; the exact cause of the fire itself was not yet known.
This article was written with AI assistance from 6 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.