Belgium: A false bomb alarm at Interbrew’s brewery in Jupille

Belgian beer maker S.A. Interbrew Belgium N.V. received a bomb threat on Wednesday, May 4, that turned out to be a false alarm, Belga News Agency communicated.

An anonymous man dialled up Belgium’s '100' emergency number at 7 am, claiming that a bomb was going to explode at the beer brewery in Jupille.

Police and fire-fighters from nearby Liege soon arrived on the scene and cordoned off a security zone of 300 metres around the brewery. All local residents and pupils of primary and secondary schools found within this security zone were evacuated.

Yet a search of the brewery revealed no bomb or faulty machinery. It was concluded at about 11 am, after which all evacuated Interbrew staff, area residents and schoolchildren were allowed to return to their daily routines. Security measures were however heightened at the brewery.

Interbrew's flagship brands are Belgium’s Stella Artois and Germany’s Becks. The Belgian company is part of InBev, the world’s largest beer producer. InBev SA was formed last summer in the USD11.4 billion (EUR 8.8 billion) merger of Belgium’s Interbrew and Brazil-based AmBev, Latin America’s biggest brewer and the world's fifth-largest at the time.

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