Man topples ex contents through the window

He went to the apartment of his ex-girlfriend in the Stationsstraat in Herentals. When he was alone, he barricaded the doors. He threw the contents on the streets and set fire. Six cars were damaged. "The man was under the influence, we had the impression that he no longer knew what he was doing," say neighbors.

It all started with a plastic plant that was thrown on the street out of the window. Not much later followed chairs, vases and various pieces of children's toys. When the man began throwing knives, the situation was very serious. There seemed no end to it. "We saw it all happen on the ground floor from our window," some witnesses tell. "The man damaged several cars and there were pieces of glass everywhere."

The police and the fire brigade were almost immediately on the spot, because the man threatened to stabbing the house on fire. "He has done effectively," says Dirk Van Peer commissioner of police Neteland. "Fortunately, the damage was not too bad. The fire brigade was on the scene and was immediately put out the fire from a window. Meanwhile, the residents of the apartment block have been evacuated and secured the road." While police and firefighters were on standby, a helicopter circled above the Stationsstraat to keep everything close watch.

After the small fire the man tried to flee through the back of the building. "It escalated completely. Everywhere he went, he left behind a battlefield. All he encountered, had just broken," it sounds to some neighbors. Ultimately, five officers were able to stop the man. He was arrested and will appear during the weekend before the investigating judge.

Around 20:30 it became clear that the danger had passed, and some neighbors appeared on the streets. "We know that the person in question is a special figure. He was already quite often under the influence and then knows himself will not stay."

Relief

Although the cars of several persons were damaged, relief predominated in the neighborhood. "When the man threatened to set fire, we were really scared. You never know what such a person is capable of. If the fire somehow comes into contact with gas, you should not think about what could be the consequences are. We still shivering a bit from the shock. Hopefully the guy not quickly released again, "decided residents.

By: Editorial / BIRGER Vandael / Photo: HLN