Fire damages tower of Kortrijk's old gendarmerie barracks; demolition on the table
A fire struck the ornamental tower of the former rijkswacht barracks in Kortrijk, West Flanders. Public broadcaster VRT NWS reports the turret is damaged badly enough that it may have to be demolished. Cause, timing and any injuries are not yet confirmed.
For people in and around Kortrijk, a fire at a recognisable old barracks raises immediate safety and access questions, and a possible demolition would alter a familiar part of the townscape. It is a local incident, not a national or European one, but it touches the wider pattern of ageing former state buildings that become safety liabilities once damaged.
A fire damaged the decorative tower (torentje) of the former rijkswacht barracks in Kortrijk, West Flanders. The rijkswacht was Belgium's national gendarmerie until it was merged into the integrated police service in 2001; its former barracks buildings survive in many Belgian cities. VRT NWS, the Flemish public broadcaster, reported that the fire-damaged tower may need to be demolished. Key operational details remain unconfirmed.
Background
The rijkswacht was Belgium's national gendarmerie, a militarised police force disbanded and absorbed into the single integrated police service in 2001. Its former barracks remain scattered across Belgian towns and cities; many have been sold and redeveloped, leaving heritage-era details such as towers and facades that can become structural risks when damaged.
What to do
Residents near the site should heed any local safety cordons or road closures and follow updates from Kortrijk emergency services.
Impact
Regional — The incident is local to Kortrijk in West Flanders, potentially affecting streets and access near the old rijkswachtkazerne and the fate of a landmark tower. The scale of disruption is not yet confirmed in the available reporting.
Opposing perspectives
- Safety and fire authorities
Officials responsible for public safety are likely to prioritise the structural risk: a fire-weakened tower on a disused barracks can threaten collapse onto streets or neighbouring property, and from that standpoint demolition may be the fastest way to remove the hazard. This position weighs immediate risk to people over the preservation of the structure. Their assessment has not yet been detailed in the available reporting.
- Heritage and local preservation advocates
Residents and heritage-minded voices often resist losing recognisable historic features, and a decorative barracks tower is exactly the kind of landmark that can prompt calls for repair rather than demolition. This constituency tends to argue that damaged heritage should be stabilised and restored where feasible. Whether such objections will emerge in this case is not yet known and is offered here as an anticipated tension, not a reported one.
Sources & evidence
- View sourceVRT NWSPrimary· vrtnws.beRetrieved 15 July 2026
