Fire brigade builds a 40-meter scaffold above a flooded avenue in the Westhoek: “If parents have to carry their children to school, it is time for action” (Lo-Reninge)

From now on, the Logghe family no longer has to struggle through the waves of their flooded lane to get to and from their home near Noordschote, the sub-municipality of Lo-Reninge in the Westhoek that was also affected by flooding. The fire brigade built a special scaffolding forty meters long above the water. “Now we feel safer.”

It is already pitch dark when Lene (9) and mother Tine (44) leave for the doctor on Monday evening via the only lane that connects their home with the outside world. Lene must be worn normally, because the water of the Ieperlee watercourse has now also taken over the avenue and has turned into a wavy sea, due to an increased westerly wind.

READ ALSO. Flooding in the Westhoek: “This will happen more often, also in the rest of Flanders”

Safe and dry

“For the first time in days we get to the car safely and dry, because we are now walking on the water,” says Lene. “Thanks to the volunteers of the Westhoek Fire Department.” (Read more below the photo)

With all their might they built a position above the flooded avenue and bridge over the Ieperlee. “If parents have to carry their children to school, it is time for action,” says fire captain Guido Snick. “It is also predicted that the water here will recede very slowly. A contractor loaned us this scaffolding, which is about forty meters long and seventy centimeters high, which is about twenty centimeters above the current water level. That should suffice.” (Read more below the photo)

The ‘water count’ is a first for the local fire station. “We are proud of it. The surface is stable enough,” assures Snick. “We first tested them with many firefighters who weighed themselves down with sandbags on their shoulders. We have provided a handrail on the scaffolding to ensure the balance of the users.” (Read more below the photo)

“Very useful,” says Tine. “We have lived here for more than eight years and it is the first time that the access road to our house has flooded so heavily. The water is above our boots and it is noticeable that the wind has been blowing harder since Monday. We haven’t used the car here since Wednesday, because it became too risky.”

“Then we had to go through the water with our bones and lately I even had to sit on daddy’s back,” says Lene. “My sister would be swept away by this strong current and wind, I don’t want that right away,” says Briek (13). “Kudos to everyone who helped us,” says dad Youri (44). “We will definitely buy a calendar from the fire brigade again this year.”