2023-11-15 17:04:00
These devices, which only cost around fifteen euros, nevertheless play an essential role in detecting fires and might save dozens of lives each year. As an illustration, in 2022, 580 fire alerts were recorded in Brussels alone.
This situation should be corrected in 2025. The Secretary of State for Housing, Nawal Ben Hamou has in fact decided to make smoke detectors compulsory in all housing. But for Eric Labourdette, president of the SLFP Pompiers, this measure comes much too late.
“I don’t understand why these smoke detectors have not been mandatory in all homes in the country for a long time. This is simply incomprehensible. Belgium is lagging behind. You don’t even have to have a fire blanket and a fire extinguisher in your home, it’s scandalous,” the fireman says indignantly.
According to him, prevention measures are particularly necessary in a context where the technologies with which more and more homes are equipped considerably increase the risks.
Terrible fire in Huy: a couple and their four children die
“New technologies are a significant risk factor for fires. I am thinking, for example, of electric scooters and electric cars which bring new risks. Passive houses are also more dangerous. Firefighters are aware of these new risks but they do not are unfortunately not sufficiently trained. We have big gaps in this area in Belgium and we often have to go abroad to train,” he laments.
A house completely destroyed by fire due to the explosion of a GSM battery while charging on a sofa!
The fire department representative also believes that CO detectors should be made compulsory in all housing. “It really would be the least we can do. It would be smart to make it mandatory at least in the bathrooms. Plus, it costs almost nothing.” The specialist, however, recommends favoring stores specializing in fire detection when purchasing a detector to avoid poor quality objects which might in turn represent a fire risk.
1700077194
#Belgium #lagging #fire #detection #dont #fire #extinguisher #home #scandalous
