The U.S. ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, hosted a private event in Brussels to celebrate 250 years of American independence. The celebration took place in Cinquantenaire Park in Brussels on June 28. Attendees enjoyed lobster rolls, country music, and a fireworks display.
However, the fireworks resulted in black marks on a structure in the park. Mr. White confirmed that the fireworks company responsible for the event would repair the damage. He mentioned that a storm the night before might have removed the protective coating from the building.
“There are some black soot marks on the top of the monument where the fireworks went off,” Mr. White stated in a phone call. He also informed that he had communicated with the Brussels mayor, Philippe Close, regarding this issue.
The Royal Museums of Art and History are housed in the affected building, as noted by the local building authority. Two Belgian news outlets, De Standaard and Het Nieuwsblad, reported the possible damage earlier in the week. Following the reports, Mr. White assured on social media that he was in constant contact with the Belgian company overseeing the event logistics.
“Cinquantenaire has never looked any cleaner than it was the day after our event,” he commented.
The office of Vanessa Matz, who manages the Belgian Buildings Agency, confirmed conducting an assessment of the damage. The statement mentioned that the storm might have also played a role in affecting the roofs and cornices.