The European Union faced embarrassment on Friday after the air conditioning system at its Berlaymont headquarters in Brussels was forced to shut down due to extreme heat, as a severe heatwave swept across western Europe.
AC Failure Amid Record Heat
Staff at the European Commission's Berlaymont building received a text message at midday local time informing them of the issue. The message, reported by POLITICO, read: "BERL — URGENT — Due to extreme weather conditions, forced shut down of air cooling system from floor 1 to 7 for the rest of the day." Temperatures in Belgium were nearing record highs for June, with the mercury expected to reach 40C in some areas.
The building houses around 3,000 staff across 13 storeys. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's office is on the 13th floor, while most of the 26 commissioners' offices are on floors eight and above, according to reports.
Heatwave Impact Across Europe
Belgium has been baking under a 'heat dome' that has affected much of western Europe this week. Most of the country was under an orange heat alert, with the provinces of Limburg and Liège under a code red warning. Belgium's Royal Meteorological Institute noted that Friday was expected to be the hottest day of the heatwave, with temperatures beginning to ease on Sunday.
Events across Belgium were cancelled due to the extreme temperatures, including the re-enactment of Napoleon's defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. The heatwave is forecast to end on Monday, with temperatures dropping to the mid 20s Celsius next week.
Other European nations, including France, Spain, Germany, and Italy, also experienced soaring temperatures. In the UK, a new record high for June was set for the third consecutive day, with a provisional temperature of 37.3C recorded in Santon Downham, Suffolk, surpassing the previous day's high of 36.7C in Merryfield, Somerset. The Met Office warned that temperatures were still rising but conditions were expected to ease in the coming days.
