On Monday 18 January 2021, at around 4 p.m., a fire broke out on the roof of the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. In addition to the damage to the roof, the building suffered from the fire water flowing into the structure. The damage to the roof was extensive, although the glass roofs appear to have held up well. Initial findings indicate considerable damage to the interior ceilings in the Henry Leboeuf Concert Hall, where the monumental organ is damaged, and other exhibition rooms were also affected. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Initial reports indicate a fire near the cooling towers of a technical room, but the investigation will have to reveal the cause and exact location of the initial outbreak.
It is important for museums, exhibition halls and historic buildings to have a disaster and rescue plan for valuable works.
"Rescue plan for works of art in museums and art collections" published in Fire & Security Alert Magazine n° 14 March 2019
Sources:
