CORRECTED-Residents in Belgian town evacuated due to explosion risk at burning building

‌People living ​near a burning textile warehouse in a town west of Brussels ‌were evacuated from their homes on Monday due to the significant risk of canisters stored nearby exploding, the local ‌mayor said in a radio interview. Other residents in ‌the town of Tubize were told to stay home with their windows and doors closed, the council said on its website, ⁠due ​to the ⁠toxicity of smoke from the fire.

‌People living ​near a burning textile warehouse in a town west of Brussels ‌were evacuated from their homes on Monday due to the significant risk of canisters stored nearby exploding, the local ‌mayor said in a radio interview.

Other residents in ‌the town of Tubize were told to stay home with their windows and doors closed, the council said on its website, ⁠due ​to the ⁠toxicity of smoke from the fire. "Right now, we are ⁠evacuating everybody in the street, as there is a significant ​risk of explosion for the nearby houses because of ⁠the gas canisters inside the building," mayor Samuel d'Orazio told ⁠local ​radio station RTBF.

Authorities are measuring the toxicity of the thick black smoke plume, he added. The ⁠alert to keep doors and windows closed extended to ⁠those living in ⁠a broad area west of Brussels as the toxic fumes spread across the ‌area.