Shortly after noon on Monday, a car caught fire in the Rogier Tunnel, releasing a lot of smoke. The fire was reported at 12.20 p.m. and was extinguished fifteen minutes later. According to the fire brigade, all occupants of the car involved were unharmed. However, the consequences will be felt at the scene until at least Wednesday morning.
The technical equipment of the tunnel, especially the ventilation systems, was damaged. A new layer of asphalt had to be poured over a short distance. The fire brigade also worked for a long time to ventilate the tunnel. The tunnel remains closed for the time being. “The technical team is currently checking whether the ventilation and communications systems are working properly. This is a delicate work,” says Stephen Ferenc, spokesman for Brussels Mobility. “Only after that can traffic resume.”
It was not clear on Tuesday evening exactly when the Rogier Tunnel would reopen. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. “Additional technical tests still need to be carried out, and we will continue with that on Wednesday,” Ferenc said. “I understand that it is annoying, but safety comes first. So we cannot say exactly when the tunnel will reopen. If one of the tests does not go well, the reopening will have to be postponed again.”
The closed tunnel caused a lot of traffic problems in the area on Monday and Tuesday. Traffic had to detour onto the small loop above ground.
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