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EU Commission Brussels Headquarters To Reopen Monday After Fire

BRUSSELS (AFP)--The European Commission's headquarters will reopen Monday after having been damaged a week ago in a fire, the European Union body said Sunday.

After a week of work, the building passed health and safety checks and will be ready for its 2,000 staff, the commission said in a statement.

"The electricity, the IT networks and the emergency lighting systems are now fully restored," the statement added.

"Cleaning the carpets, electrical cables, ventilation shafts and technical areas has required the intervention of over 200 technical experts."

Air quality had also been brought back up to standard.

Last Monday's fire forced the evacuation of the building, which lies in the heart of Brussels' European quarter, and spread as high as the top 13th floor where European Commissioner Jose Manuel Barroso has his offices.

The Brussels prosecutor's office has already opened an investigation into the fire.

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires
  05-24-091213ET
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