Foyer Don Bosco Residents Removed Due to Technical Issues at Facility

On Friday 21 February 2025, Chronicle.lu was contacted by occupants of the Foyer don Bosco, a facility in Luxembourg-Limpertsberg used to house refugees and migrants and operated by the Luxembourg Red Cross, in relation to their removal from the facility due to issues with the building’s infrastructure.

Residents of the facility alleged that, on Monday 19 February 2025, they were verbally informed by staff at the premises of issues relating to the building’s heating system, along with other "technical issues”, and advised that they would be temporarily relocated to the emergency accommodation facilities located on Rue Carlo Hemmer in Luxembourg-Kirchberg. They were also advised that they would be allowed access to their belongings at the Foyer don Bosco facility before any move took place.

According to sources, a number of residents of the facility refused to leave the premises because they had not been given access to their belongings and had not been provided with assurances that they would be able to return to the facility once any repair work had been completed. The following day, residents received a letter from the Ministry for Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees (dated Thursday 20 February 2025) stating that all access to the Foyer don Bosco had been withdrawn with immediate effect.

Chronicle.lu reached out to Luxembourg’s Ministry for Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees and the Luxembourg Red Cross for clarification regarding these claims. On Tuesday 25 February 2025, the ministry’s press team responded: “The Ministry for Family Affairs can confirm that the accommodation facility for applicants for international protection (SHTDPI), located at 162b Limpertsberg (Don Bosco), had to be partially evacuated, because leaks in the heating systems’ pipes were detected”. The ministry also clarified: “The facility where some of the residents have been relocated serves solely as a fallback option, and the occupants will return to their original accommodation as soon as conditions allow. Any concerns regarding the inability of the evacuated residents to return to their previous accommodation are unfounded”.

The ministry acknowledged that “some individuals did indeed express objections to the relocation. However, all were given the opportunity to take their personal belongings with them. Moreover, the site remained fully accessible to all occupants until 24 February 2025. From 25 February onwards, due to the works being carried out, residents may only access their rooms to collect additional personal belongings if accompanied by a guard or a supervising staff member”.

“The scope of the necessary repairs is still being assessed,” the ministry continued. “However, the National Reception Office (Office national de l’accueil) is making every effort to address and resolve the issues as swiftly as possible.”

At present, no further details relating to the issues at the Foyer don Bosco or the timescales involved in undertaking the necessary repairs have been communicated to the press by any of its administrators. For the moment, the facilities remain closed.

SM