A FIRE at the Port of Antwerp has been brought under control, but may continue to burn for several days. reported London's Loadstar.
The fire started on Saturday in a consignment of 5,000 tons of nickel oxide in a warehouse at the port. About half of the consignment has been destroyed by fire so far.
Due to the potential health concerns of the smoke cloud created, the municipality of Antwerp launched its disaster plan, which calls for evacuation from ships and buildings in a radius of about two kilometres.
In other areas nearby, residents have been urged to keep their windows shut. Inland navigation and car traffic in the region has also been stopped. However, shipping traffic on the Scheldt and canal docks is not affected.
The smoldering fire erupted in a consignment of 5,000 tonnes of nickel oxide in a warehouse at the Port of Antwerp on August 11, causing the port authority to evacuate seagoing vessels in the vicinity.
The fire broke out on Saturday evening in a 6,000-sqaure metre warehouse on the Emdenweg, Leopold Dok, Antwerp's bulk terminal, the port authority said.
Firefighters were rushed to the scene immediately and the local authorities invoked the municipal disaster plan which resulted in the evacuation of seagoing vessels and staff from the business offices at the site in a radius of 1.8 kilometres.
The fire started on Saturday in a consignment of 5,000 tons of nickel oxide in a warehouse at the port. About half of the consignment has been destroyed by fire so far.
Due to the potential health concerns of the smoke cloud created, the municipality of Antwerp launched its disaster plan, which calls for evacuation from ships and buildings in a radius of about two kilometres.
In other areas nearby, residents have been urged to keep their windows shut. Inland navigation and car traffic in the region has also been stopped. However, shipping traffic on the Scheldt and canal docks is not affected.
The smoldering fire erupted in a consignment of 5,000 tonnes of nickel oxide in a warehouse at the Port of Antwerp on August 11, causing the port authority to evacuate seagoing vessels in the vicinity.
The fire broke out on Saturday evening in a 6,000-sqaure metre warehouse on the Emdenweg, Leopold Dok, Antwerp's bulk terminal, the port authority said.
Firefighters were rushed to the scene immediately and the local authorities invoked the municipal disaster plan which resulted in the evacuation of seagoing vessels and staff from the business offices at the site in a radius of 1.8 kilometres.