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Berlaymont fire out
By Simon Taylor
18.05.2009 / 13:35 CET
Officials hope to re-open the building on Tuesday.
A fire that broke out today in the European Commission's headquarters building, causing the evacuation of thousands of staff, is now extinguished, the Brussels fire brigade declared this evening. The fire broke out shortly before 1pm and was put out shortly before 5pm.
Francis Boileau, spokesman for the Brussels fire brigade, said the fire started in the basement of the Berlaymont and spread up an internal shaft. It triggered an automatic alarm on the 13th floor of the building where European Commission President José Manuel Barroso has his office.
Boileau said that the fire had ignited roofing materials on the top of the building and caused the smoke which could be seen emerging from the Berlaymont.
Johannes Laitenberger, European Commission spokesman, said that Barroso had been evacuated down the emergency stairs.
The surrounding roads were closed to traffic, while 40 firefighters tackled the fire. The firefighters are still examining the building with thermal cameras to check that there are no remaining hotspots that might cause a fire to break out again.
Stephen Hutchins, director for security at the Berlaymont, said that the fire alarm had been triggered at 12.50pm. Security personnel checked to make sure that the alarm was genuine and an order to evacuate the building was given at 13.05pm.
Laitenberger said that the evacuation had gone smoothly. There were no injuries, he said. He added that the cause of the fire was still unknown.
Staff will not be allowed back into the building until at least Tuesday (19 May) afternoon.
There are usually around 2,000 people working in the Berlaymont but the number was estimated to be smaller today as this is a holiday week with the Commission closed on Thursday and Friday.
Laitenberger said that commissioners who were in Brussels this week would be able to continue working in other buildings. Hutchins said that the Commission had a business continuity plan which identified key staff to be accommodated in other officers in the case of emergencies.
Commission staff were not being allowed to re-enter the building until the fire brigade declared it safe. There is no electricity in the building because the chief fire officer ordered the current and gas supply to be cut off when tackling the blaze. The lifts do not work and there is no lighting in the stairs.
The section of Boulevard Charlemagne in front of the Berlaymont, which was closed when the building was evacuated, has now been re-opened.
© 2009 European Voice. All rights reserved.
By Simon Taylor
18.05.2009 / 13:35 CET
Officials hope to re-open the building on Tuesday.
A fire that broke out today in the European Commission's headquarters building, causing the evacuation of thousands of staff, is now extinguished, the Brussels fire brigade declared this evening. The fire broke out shortly before 1pm and was put out shortly before 5pm.
Francis Boileau, spokesman for the Brussels fire brigade, said the fire started in the basement of the Berlaymont and spread up an internal shaft. It triggered an automatic alarm on the 13th floor of the building where European Commission President José Manuel Barroso has his office.
Boileau said that the fire had ignited roofing materials on the top of the building and caused the smoke which could be seen emerging from the Berlaymont.
Johannes Laitenberger, European Commission spokesman, said that Barroso had been evacuated down the emergency stairs.
The surrounding roads were closed to traffic, while 40 firefighters tackled the fire. The firefighters are still examining the building with thermal cameras to check that there are no remaining hotspots that might cause a fire to break out again.
Stephen Hutchins, director for security at the Berlaymont, said that the fire alarm had been triggered at 12.50pm. Security personnel checked to make sure that the alarm was genuine and an order to evacuate the building was given at 13.05pm.
Laitenberger said that the evacuation had gone smoothly. There were no injuries, he said. He added that the cause of the fire was still unknown.
Staff will not be allowed back into the building until at least Tuesday (19 May) afternoon.
There are usually around 2,000 people working in the Berlaymont but the number was estimated to be smaller today as this is a holiday week with the Commission closed on Thursday and Friday.
Laitenberger said that commissioners who were in Brussels this week would be able to continue working in other buildings. Hutchins said that the Commission had a business continuity plan which identified key staff to be accommodated in other officers in the case of emergencies.
Commission staff were not being allowed to re-enter the building until the fire brigade declared it safe. There is no electricity in the building because the chief fire officer ordered the current and gas supply to be cut off when tackling the blaze. The lifts do not work and there is no lighting in the stairs.
The section of Boulevard Charlemagne in front of the Berlaymont, which was closed when the building was evacuated, has now been re-opened.
© 2009 European Voice. All rights reserved.
12 maio, 2009
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