Ghislenghien

Ghislenghien ( hook size: Gell Ingen ) is a place in Belgium in the province of Hainaut, near the town of Ath and has about 3000 inhabitants. The village was formerly a separate municipality and was incorporated in 1976 to Ath in the context of local government reform.

Gas explosion

The town made ​​headlines when a heavy explosion accident occurred there on 30 July 2004 in an industrial area on a gas pipeline. On the corresponding property was at the time a new factory building for Diamant Boart, a subsidiary of the equipment manufacturer Husqvarna built. Emergence should the hall directly above the standing under a high pressure of 80 bar gas pipeline from Zeebrugge to the French border. Users of this line was the gas transport company Fluxys. Apparently, it was the part of the construction workers of accidental damage to the line. At 8:30 clock some of them had alerted the fire department because of strong gas smell. Apparently, then lit a spark the escaping gas. At 08:56 clock - the area should be cordoned off just - happened to several heavy explosions that destroyed three factories, a deep crater torn and tattered the line over a length of about 200 meters. The flames - filmed by numerous residents and onlookers - hit up to 100 meters high in the sky and were still visible from 15 miles away. When disaster 24 people died, 132 suffered some serious injuries. Among the victims were mostly firefighters, employees of the factory and car occupants of a nearby road. The blast hurled cars partially over distances of several tens of meters. On the part of the authorities was triggered disaster alarm. To support the rescue work even units of the Belgian armed forces for use, such as military helicopters arrived; the neighboring country of France despatched 100 physicians, four helicopters and 20 ambulances. All hospitals in Belgium were alerted and clinics in northern France took Injured on.

In May 2009, began before the criminal court in Tournai negotiating to clarify the question of guilt. In addition to Fluxys and Husqvarna is also had construction companies, responsible person in charge of the fire brigade and local authorities. The prosecutor saw the principal debt at the two companies - an argument which did not follow the judge. On 22 February 2010 the 286 -page verdict was announced, the acquitted both groups. Thus, Fluxys was not obliged to monitor compliance with safety in construction work on the gas lines used by it. An architect who had led the construction of the new factory for Husqvarna, it was, however, due to lack of safety precautions and negligent homicide guilty.