Multiple casualties were reported after a fire in a 10‑story apartment building in Antwerp’s Linkeroever district. The blaze first appeared on the eighth floor just before 10:00 a.m. (08:00 GMT) and quickly filled the building with thick smoke.
Video footage showed a resident climbing from his balcony, crawling through a neighbour’s window to escape the smoke. Residents were forced to barricade themselves and wait on balconies while firefighters worked to reach those trapped inside.
A police spokesperson said that more than 200 people live in the block and that bodies of several victims had already been recovered. The fire brigade noted that the visibility was severely reduced, making it difficult to extinguish the flames and locate occupants.
One resident recalled how the smoke fouled the air to the point that he could not exit his flat by himself and had to wait for a ladder. Another resident reported that his parents‑in‑law, including former mayor Bob Cools, were successfully evacuated and transported to hospital.
Investigation is ongoing; witnesses suggested that work was being undertaken on the roof at the time of the incident, but the cause remains uncertain. Antwerp fire officials described the fire as complex and noted the challenges posed by the building’s density.
Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed his thoughts on the victims and the evacuees, referring to the blaze as a “terrible fire”.
