More than a thousand people say goodbye to firefighter who died in a fire in Brussels Sheraton hotel
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More than a thousand people attended the farewell ceremony on Saturday for Sergeant Major Jean-François Spelmans, the firefighter who died ten days ago in a fire at the Sheraton hotel in Brussels.
evdgSource† BELGA
Firefighters and fire engines escorted Spelmans’ coffin from the Heliport barracks where he worked to the Basilica of Koekelberg. His colleagues carried the coffin into the basilica.
At the start of the ceremony, Minister of the Interior Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) posthumously awarded the deceased firefighter a civil decoration for courage and self-sacrifice. He also officially became adjutant, a degree he had applied for before his death. The adjutant’s helmet was handed over to his relatives.
Captain Nicolas Robin pronounced Spelmans “an enthusiastic and friendly man, who was happy to share his knowledge and encourage others”, and “an example of professionalism”. “He’s launching the life he’s people, looking for a second launch to fight the fire,” said a fire service spokesman.
A representative of the king was also present, as were politicians such as Brussels Prime Minister Rudi Vervoort (PS) and Brussels State Secretary Pascal Smet (one.brussels).
The fire in the former Sheraton hotel, where renovation works are underway, broke out in a technical tube on Wednesday, March 16 at around 3:30 am. The fire brigade immediately went to the spot, but the fire was very difficult to reach and raged on the ground floor, the first and second floors. During the extinguishing work, an escalator went into an escalator and firefighter Spelmans was buried. He was possibly freed, but died so soon.
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