A fire broke out on the eighth floor of a 10‑storey block of flats in the Linkeroever district of Antwerp just before 10:00 (08:00 GMT) Wednesday, killing several people and injuring others.
Thick smoke from the blaze forced residents to barricade themselves inside their apartments and wait on balconies for rescue. A dramatic video showed a man climbing from his balcony, through a neighbour’s window, to escape the black smoke.
According to the Antwerp police, more than 200 people live in the building and bodies of several victims have already been recovered.
Local resident Geert Dewulf told Belgian public TV that the smoke made it impossible to leave the flat; they were forced to stay on the balcony until firefighters arrived about ten minutes later with a ladder.
Firefighters crawled from flat to flat, searching for victims while dealing with the rapid spread of smoke that limited visibility and hindered evacuation efforts.
Another resident reported that his parents‑in‑law, including ex‑mayor Bob Cools, were successfully evacuated and transported to hospital. He lamented that they could not save the resident cat during the evacuation.
Police say it is too early to pinpoint the cause of the fire, but witnesses told the newspaper De Standaard that maintenance work had been carried out on the roof earlier in the day.
Antwerp fire brigade spokeswoman Marie de Clercq described the incident as a complex fire, noting the poor visibility and thick smoke made extinguishment difficult.
Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed his sympathy for the victims and their families, calling the blaze a “terrible” tragedy in Linkeroever.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the blaze while emergency services attend to the survivors and assess damage to the building.
