Gent –
A heavily bandaged woman of about 70 years is in a critical condition in the hospital after a violent fire on the ground floor of an apartment in the Sportstraat, at the Sint-Pietersstation. 19 residents are taken care of in a hotel and will not be able to return home today.
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Around 3.50 pm the fire brigade received a call for a fire in a residential apartment block with six floors in Sportstraat 148-170.
“The electrical box on the ground floor had completely melted away,” said the Fire Zone Center officer who led the rescue operation. “When we arrived, the entrance hall was ablaze and there was heavy smoke development. Most residents could have walked out themselves, but we had to save two people. One had fled to the balcony but on the stairs we found an elderly woman in an unconscious state. She was badly burned. “
The woman was taken to hospital in a critical condition. Another resident and a firefighter were slightly injured.
The other residents were evacuated to a nearby hotel. “The entire apartment has suffered heavy smoke damage and the entrance hall has been destroyed. The building has been declared uninhabitable, ”said the fire brigade.
A parquet expert came on site to investigate the cause of the fire. according to the initial findings, this is an accidental fire and there are no indications of malicious intent.
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