E17 towards Kortrijk closed at Aalbeke after straw-loaded lorry catches fire
A lorry carrying straw caught fire on the E17 near Aalbeke, prompting a full closure in the direction of Kortrijk while firefighters worked at the scene, according to Flemish media reports.
The E17 is a key Flemish motorway corridor through Kortrijk toward the French border. A full closure near Aalbeke disrupts local drivers, freight traffic and cross-border routes, and a straw load creates a fast-burning fire risk that requires a cautious emergency response.
The subject is a motorway incident on the E17 near Aalbeke, a district of Kortrijk in West Flanders, involving a lorry carrying straw that caught fire and led to a full closure towards Kortrijk while firefighters intervened.
Background
The E17/A14 corridor links Antwerp, Ghent, Kortrijk and the French border. Incidents near Kortrijk carry wider traffic consequences because the area connects local city traffic with freight and cross-border motorway movements.
Impact
Regional — The impact is regional: drivers around Kortrijk, Aalbeke, Mouscron and the E17/E403 interchange faced disruption while the incident was handled.
Sources & evidence
- View sourceDe MorgenPrimary· demorgen.beRetrieved 11 July 2026
- View sourceHLN· hln.beRetrieved 11 July 2026
- View sourceVlaams Verkeerscentrum· verkeerscentrum.be· 10 July 2026Retrieved 11 July 2026· 5 days ago· Dated
- View sourceStad Kortrijk· kortrijk.beRetrieved 11 July 2026
