€1 million in emergency funding to secure crumbling Brussels Expo buildings

After an audit revealed "unacceptable" safety risks at the Brussels Expo centre, its board of directors is being forced to allocate at least €1 million towards emergency repairs.

The main concern is deteriorating infrastructure, L’Echo reports. A large chunk of stone fell off a cornice of Palais 10 just last week.

The Brussels Expo includes 11 buildings, not all of which have yet been examined. Only Palais 2, 5, 7, 10 and 11 have been investigated so far.

The interim results of the safety audit were discussed earlier in the week by the board of directors, who will be using Brussels Expo’s own funds to cover the cost of emergency repairs.

The audit, done by BuildTIS, says the dilapidated state of the palaces poses an "unacceptable security risk" and recommends taking interim measures to mitigate some of these in addition to carrying out thorough repairs.

Specifically, Palais 5 and 10 need to be propped up in certain places.

“They will not collapse tomorrow, but action must be taken now,” the audit reads, adding that the risks were “unacceptable for the safety of the occupants”.

BuildTIS auditors described the deterioration of the building as “natural obsolescence”, meaning no one is to blame but time itself.

“We are continuing the audit of the other halls to get an overall view before the complete renovation, estimated at €200 million,” said Brussels mayor Philippe Close (PS), who is also the chairman of the Brussels Expo board of directors.