The PanneA heavy fire broke out in a three-storey apartment building in the Nieuwpoortlaan in De Panne on Sunday afternoon. The damage is great. Two women were taken to hospital with smoke intoxication. Three apartments are uninhabitable. “The municipality provides shelter for the residents,” says mayor Bram Degrieck.
The emergency services received a report around 3.30 pm about a blazing fire above a pita shop. The flames and plume of smoke were clearly visible. It was unclear if anyone was still in the building. In the meantime, the windows of the flat on the first floor had also been shattered by the heat. In addition to the fire brigade and police, two ambulances and the MUG also arrived on the scene. Tram traffic was immediately stopped.
Two people to hospital
When they arrived, the residents were waiting outside. They had brought themselves to safety and had a medical check-up in the ambulance. Meanwhile, the fire brigade started the extinguishing work. It was soon confirmed that there was no one left in the building. “Two women were taken to hospital for a check-up because they had inhaled smoke. They contracted CO intoxication,” says Mayor Bram Degrieck (Het Plan-B), who came to the scene.
Three flats uninhabitable
Firefighters had the fire under control after half an hour. “The three apartments were badly damaged. It goes without saying that they are no longer habitable. We provide shelter in emergency housing for one resident and a family with two children. Another resident will move in with family for the time being,” says Degrieck. “The residents are allowed to go inside for a while under the supervision of the fire brigade to pick up some belongings.”
The damage in the pita shop on the ground floor was not too bad. An hour after the fire, tram traffic was allowed to pass again.
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