Brussels, 19/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - The fire that broke out on Monday 18 May in the main European Commission building in Brussels was finally put out shortly before 5 o'clock. The fire is thought to have broken out in a service shaft on the ground floor of the Berlaymont building towards noon and then spread to the thirteenth floor. A spokesperson explained that it was only at this moment that the alarm bell went off and led to a swift and problem-free evacuation of the building. José Manuel Barroso's spokesman indicated on Tuesday that safety and evacuation procedures had worked well but did assert that “if there are improvements to be made to them we will introduce them”. The spokesman indicated that so far, the causes of the fire are still unknown but added that, “nothing can be ruled out. An investigation is taking place and we will have to wait for the results”. Investigators from the Brussels prosecutor's office and fire brigade, as well as Commission insurance companies, are carrying out investigation in order to work out how the fire started.
For reasons to do with safety and repairs, the building was still closed on Tuesday. Although the electricity supply was gradually restored during the day, computers and emergency lighting were still unavailable. Some of the 2000 people who usually work on these premises (mainly commissioners and members of their cabinets, legal service personnel, staff from the General Secretariat and spokespersons' service) were therefore forced to work at home or at other Commission offices in town (the president went to the Breydel). The president's spokesman indicated: “I cannot give the exact date when the building will reopen”. (A.B./transl.rh)