Around three hundred people paid tribute on Tuesday morning to the victims of the Ghislenghien (Ath) disaster, which occurred 20 years ago, precisely on 30 July 2004, at 8:57 am. The brief ceremony took place in the presence of the mayor of Ath, Eddy Maillet – at the time head of the local police zone, who had activated the emergency plan – and a representative of the King. In silence, all the participants presented themselves in front of the commemorative stele installed not far from the site of the explosion.
Also present were many relatives and family members of the victims.
Photo News.
Photo News.
Photo News.
BELGA.
The accident was caused by the explosion of a high-pressure gas pipeline. The pipeline had been damaged a few days earlier by construction equipment on the site of a factory under construction by the Diamant Boart company. A column of flames, visible from several kilometres away, rose to a height of around 200 metres and burned for around twenty minutes.
The Ghislenghien industrial disaster, one of the deadliest on the national territory, left 24 dead, including five firefighters, a police officer, an Electrabel agent and people who were walking near the industrial zone site, as well as 132 injured. A day of national mourning was declared on 4 August 2004. Among the victims, seven were given a national funeral. The families of the 11 other deceased identified so far preferred a more intimate tribute.
The Ghislenghien disaster led to the implementation of the reform of Belgian civil security and the creation of rescue zones.
Also read: “It marked me for life”: Chief of Staff Eddy Maillet looks back on the Ghislenghien disaster, 20 years later