What to do first in an emergency

Smell of gas

1. No flames, no smoking, and don't switch any lights, appliances or your phone on or off: every spark is dangerous.
2. Turn off the gas tap at the meter, if you can reach it without a light.
3. Open windows and doors.
4. Get everyone outside and, in an apartment building, warn the neighbours.
5. Call your grid operator from outside and wait outside.

Flanders (Fluvius)

0800 65 0 65

Brussels (Sibelga)

0800 19 400

Wallonia (ORES)

0800 87 087

Fire, explosion or doubt

112

CO alarm goes off, or headache and nausea near an appliance

1. Open windows and doors.
2. Switch off the appliance (boiler, water heater, stove).
3. Get everyone out of the room.
4. Call 112 if anyone has symptoms. Have the appliance checked by a professional before you use it again.

Symptoms or doubt

112

Water leak

1. Turn off the main water tap. It's usually by the water meter, often in the cellar, the garage or a cupboard near the front door.
2. Water near sockets or lights? Switch off that circuit at the fuse box, but only if you're standing somewhere dry.
3. Catch the water and move anything valuable.
4. Take photos for your insurance and report the damage.
5. Live in an apartment? Let the property manager (syndic) and the neighbours above or below you know.

Damp patch or hidden leak

1. A wet patch on a wall or ceiling, or water use going up for no reason? Turn off all taps and check whether the water meter keeps turning: if so, there's a leak.
2. Turn off the main tap if the damage is spreading.
3. Don't open up walls or floors yourself. A leak detection specialist finds the leak with little or no demolition, using thermal imaging, moisture measurement or tracer gas.
4. Take photos and report it to your insurer: they often reimburse the leak search.

No electricity

1. Check whether the neighbours or the street lights are also out. If so, it's a general outage: call your grid operator.
2. Only at your place? Check the fuse box for a tripped residual-current switch or fuse.
3. Unplug the appliances on that circuit, switch it back on, then plug the appliances back in one by one. This often finds the faulty appliance.
4. Trips again straight away, a burning smell or scorch marks? Leave the power off and call an electrician. Smoke or fire: 112.

Flanders (Fluvius)

078 35 35 00

Wallonia (ORES)

078 78 78 00

Brussels and elsewhere

your grid operator's number on your energy bill

Blockage or water coming back up

1. Stop flushing or running water.
2. Try a plunger or a drain snake. Never mix different chemical drain cleaners.
3. Water coming back up in several places, or across the whole building? The problem is often in the shared drain: let the property manager know.
4. Problem in the street or the public sewer? Contact the municipality.

Storm damage to roof or façade

1. Never go up on the roof yourself in wind or rain.
2. Catch the water inside and keep away from loose tiles, gutters or façade parts.
3. Take photos and report the damage to your insurer.
4. Urgent but not life-threatening fire brigade help during a storm or flood: call 1722 when that number has been activated (announced in the media), or use the online form at 1722.be. Danger to life: 112.

Storm damage (if activated)

1722

Danger to life

112