A serious fire has taken the main RTBF DTT, DAB and FM radio transmitters in Wavre, around 30 kilometres from Brussels, off air.
The channels involved are the DTT transmissions of RTBF La Une, La Deux, La Trois, and Euronews, as well as radio stations Prem1ère, Pure FM and VivaCité. First local reports suggests the fire is an act of sabotage.
Sunday morning, May 24, at 4.30am, a fire destroyed the ground cables of the transmitter antenna of the French-speaking Belgian Radio and Television RTBF.
Later that day, at 6.30am, another fire damaged the installations of the Flemish-speaking radio and television VRT at Velten (near Leuven). The Belgian authorities said it was difficult for the time being to say if a link existed between the two fires.
According to public broadcaster RTBF the cable, satellite and IPTV distribution of the TV channels is not impacted. A low-power TV transmitter serves the city of Brussels. However, homes served in an area of 50 kilometres around Brussels are now without a DTT signal.
The broadcaster told local press that it could take “as long as a number of weeks” to repair the damage caused by the fire. Meanwhile, local police in Leuven has said that is no evidence linking the two fires, “it is pure coincidence.” VRT broadcasts were restored within a few hours.
A video of the RTBF news report on the fire can be accessed here (French only).
(Picture courtesy of RTBF)
