Wednesday, July 1Wednesday, July 1At least six people were killed and 16 others injured on Wednesday when a fire tore through a 10-storey apartment block in Antwerp’s Linkeroever district, Belgian police confirmed. Rescue teams lowered residents to safety by rope as thick black smoke billowed from the eighth floor of the building, which houses more than 200 people. Authorities said the blaze, which broke out shortly before 10:00 local time, was brought under control within hours, but search teams continued to comb the structure for possible victims .
Police spokesperson Kim Bastiaens told reporters that the death toll had risen to six, contradicting earlier reports of five fatalities. At least 16 people were hospitalised with serious injuries, while others received treatment at the scene. Firefighters evacuated all 80 apartments in the building, assisted by rope teams who rescued residents trapped by smoke and flames. Witnesses described chaotic scenes as people fled balconies and windows, some clambering through smoke-filled corridors to escape .
Investigators believe the fire originated on the ground floor due to a technical fault, though some residents reported hearing an explosion before the blaze took hold. The Linkeroever neighbourhood, a densely populated area on the left bank of the Scheldt, was cordoned off as emergency services deployed drones and medical teams to manage the crisis. Authorities sent text alerts to nearby phones, urging residents to seal doors and windows against the smoke .
King Philippe of Belgium visited the scene to meet emergency workers and affected residents, while Prime Minister Bart de Wever praised the response of firefighters and medical staff. “My thoughts are with the victims and the evacuated residents,” de Wever wrote on social media. The building’s management and local officials have not yet commented on fire safety measures or evacuation protocols.
The blaze has reignited concerns about fire safety in ageing apartment blocks across Belgium, particularly in high-density urban areas. Investigators from the public prosecutor’s office, forensic teams, and fire experts are analysing the site to determine the exact cause and whether any criminal negligence was involved. The building remains structurally intact, but residents displaced by the fire were temporarily housed in a nearby elderly care centre while authorities assess the damage .
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At least 5 people killed in fire in Antwerp apartment tower, Belgian police say At least five people were killed in a fire in a 10-storey apartment tower in the Belgian city of Antwerp on Wednesday, police said. Reuters saw rescuers lowering residents from the side of the building by rope. Survivors described being trapped inside the building until police and firefighters arrived shortly after the blaze started in […]
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At least five people killed in fire in Antwerp apartment tower At least five people were killed in a fire in a 10-storey apartment tower in the Belgian city of Antwerp on Wednesday, police said. Police spokesperson Kim Bastiaens said it was still too early to give a figure for the number of injured, or determine the cause of the fire. Local media had previously reported […]
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