Fire lit in Houthulst castle
“Investigations show that last week’s fire was caused by human intervention. It is not yet clear whether the fire was started intentionally or not,” the prosecutor’s office confirms.
The castle was owned by a British family. It used to be owned by the De Groote family, including Eugene and Hubert De Groote, former mayors of Houthulst. Micheline De Groote was the last resident and passed away a few years ago. She was married to a Briton and therefore it was now in the hands of British owners.
The building has been plagued by vandals in the past. Windows were smashed and paintings destroyed.