Electrics blamed for perm-rep fire

Date: 28/03/02

A DEVASTATING fire at the Spanish permanent representation to the European Union in Brussels was started by an electrical fault, it has emerged.

Spanish police officer Manuel Agudu, 54, and 25-year-old Belgian fireman Christophe Suain died in the blaze at the building on the central Boulevard du Regent.

About 60 people, who were in the perm-rep when the fire broke out on the fourth floor last Thursday (21 March), were led to safety.

Spokesperson for the Spanish EU presidency Anna Maria Rodriquez praised the bravery of the two victims.

She said: 'It appears that Agudu was on the fourth floor and the young firefighter was trying to find him when he too became trapped. It is very tragic.'

She said the fourth floor was gutted and there was severe smoke damage to the rest of the six-storey building.

'The clearing-up operation is still continuing but we hope to re-occupy the building by 8 April. In the meantime, all the staff have been moved to a nearby building,' she said.

The fire happened a day after Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar reported to the European Parliament on the Barcelona summit.

Rodriquez said police had dismissed reports that the fire was caused by a bomb. 'We believe the blaze was caused by an electrical fault,' she said, adding that it was too early to estimate the cost of damage.

Report of a fire at the Spanish permanent representation to the European Union in Brussels.