In brief
A 10‑storey apartment block in Antwerp’s Linkeroever district caught fire early morning Wednesday, killing five residents and injuring several others. Thick smoke poured from the eighth floor, forcing firefighters to rush from flat to flat amid poor visibility. The blaze was traced to a technical fault on the ground floor, but the rapid spread left many residents trapped. King Philippe personally visited the scene, and national leaders expressed condolences. Evacuation centres were set up as the city’s fire service fought to control the blaze.
Five people died in a fire at a 10‑storey apartment block in Antwerp
Firefighters launched a frantic rescue operation after a blaze erupted just before 10:00 on Wednesday, thick smoke pouring from the eighth floor and hindering evacuation efforts.
The incident took place in the Linkeroever district and involved a building that houses more than 200 residents. Eighty flats were evacuated as firefighters moved from one unit to the next in search of survivors.
A video clip that authorities released showed a man climbing from his balcony through a neighbouring window to escape the smoke, illustrating the desperate conditions inside the building.
Police said the fire was caused by a technical problem on the ground floor. Initial reports listed six deaths, but the figure was later revised to five after further investigation.
Belgian King Philippe travelled to Linkeroever to meet residents who had been evacuated to a residential care centre and to witness the scenes of the blaze. He offered his condolences to the victims’ families.
Local authorities and the Prime Minister, Bart De Wever, expressed solidarity with the victims and the community. An emergency session of the Flemish parliament included a moment of silence to honour those lost in the fire.
Firefighters explained that poor visibility and thick smoke made the containment effort difficult, and that they had to rely on coordinated search and rescue across multiple flats.
