The U.S. ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, organized an exclusive party to celebrate 250 years of American independence. Held in a public park in Brussels, the event featured lobster rolls, country music, and a fireworks display. However, the festivities left behind black marks on the building within Cinquantenaire Park.
Speaking by phone, Ambassador White confirmed that the fireworks led to soot marks on the structure. He noted that the fireworks company hired for the event would be responsible for repairing the damage. White also mentioned that a storm the night before might have removed a protective coating from the building.
“There are some black soot marks on the top of the monument where the fireworks went off,”
said Ambassador White.
The affected building houses the Royal Museums of Art and History. Despite the incident, Brussels Mayor Philippe Close has yet to provide a comment. Local media outlets De Standaard and Het Nieuwsblad first reported the potential damage earlier this week. In response, White took to social media to announce his quick communication with the logistics company responsible for the event setup and cleanup.
“Cinquantenaire has never looked any cleaner than it was the day after we cleaned up after our event,”
he added on social media.
The Belgian Buildings Agency, overseen by Vanessa Matz, has begun analyzing the damage to the roofs and cornices of the building. According to Matz’s office, the damage might also be attributed to recent storms.
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