Locals told to keep windows and doors closed as fire engulfs greenhouses
Residents of the village of Overschelde, near Wetteren in East Flanders have been told to keep their windows and doors closed after a fire broke out at greenhouses on the Laarnestraat. They have also be told to switch of any ventilation systems they might have in order to prevent smoke from the blaze from entering their homes.
The fire started in a shed and soon spread to engulf 4 greenhouses. Some explosions were also heard. These are presumed to have come from mobile homes that were being stored at the site that used to house a horticultural company.
Although the fire was quickly brought under control, there was a lot of smoke. The authorities used the Be Alert warning system to send messages to the residents of Overschelde advising them to close their windows and doors and to switch off their ventilation.
Although the horticultural company no longer uses the site for production purposes it still stores machines and material there. Around 50 mobile homes and caravans and 5 vintages cars were parked inside the 4 large greenhouses at the site. All of them are reported to have been destroyed in the blaze.
However, firefighters were able to prevent the fire rom destroying an adjacent house.
