Multiple dead in apartment building fire in Antwerp – rescue operation in ten-story building ongoing

Situation in the morning

According to police, additional people were seriously injured or suffered smoke inhalation. Numerous residents required medical treatment. "In addition, there were several serious and minor injuries, a police spokesperson said." The severity of the injuries was initially inconsistent.

The fire department classified the operation as extremely difficult. Speaking to the AFP news agency, fire department spokesperson Marie De Clercq described a "very complex fire with low visibility and heavy smoke development in the building, which makes firefighting more difficult." According to her, the fire had still not been extinguished by the afternoon.

"The fire has not yet been extinguished and is not yet under control," said Marie De Clercq. The fire department requested reinforcements from surrounding municipalities. The operation in the ten-story building is ongoing. According to the newspaper De Telegraaf, emergency services were still searching for further possible victims in the building.

Difficult operation for the fire department

Approximately 200 people live in the complex, according to fire department estimates. Due to the large number of residents, the evacuation and care of those affected were particularly complex. Emergency services were on site with a large deployment.

The cause of the fire was initially unclear. "The cause was not yet known, according to the spokesperson," police explained. The fire department also did not make a final statement on the possible origin of the fire. Investigations were to begin after the completion of firefighting operations, it was reported.

Cause still unclear

There are initial indications regarding the source of the fire, however: "We initially suspected that the fire broke out on the eighth floor, but we cannot confirm this at present," said fire department spokesperson Marie De Clercq. Whether the fire spread from there to other floors was part of the ongoing investigations.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever responded to the tragedy and offered words of sympathy to those affected. "My thoughts are with the victims and the evacuated residents," he wrote on the online service X. At the same time, he thanked the emergency services for their efforts.

Political reaction

The government announced that it would closely monitor developments on the ground and not impede the rescue operations. Aid organizations also prepared for an extended period of support for the evacuated residents, who would not be able to return to their apartments in the near term.

The Antwerp city administration set up a contact point for those affected. There, people were to receive information on the status of firefighting efforts, medical assistance, and temporary accommodation, among other things. Authorities asked the public to avoid the area around the fire site widely.

As rescue operations continued on Wednesday, concern grew about further possible victims. The fire department stated that it could not yet rule out that people were still in the building. The search focused primarily on the upper floors, where visibility conditions were particularly poor, according to the fire department.

Search for further victims

Eyewitnesses told media of dense smoke development that was visible from a distance. Rescue vehicles and fire engines from several surrounding municipalities arrived at the scene over the course of the morning. Coordination was handled by the Antwerp fire department leadership.

The tragedy also raises questions about safety in older residential blocks. In Belgium, fires have broken out several times in recent years in larger residential complexes, resulting in deaths and injuries. Experts point to the importance of fire protection concepts, functioning smoke detectors, and clear escape routes.

Background: fire safety in residential blocks

With devastating consequences, the fire ended for several families living in the building. The names of the victims were initially not released. Authorities wanted to inform relatives first before further details were made public.

Even in the evening, it was still unclear how many people were affected in total. Police announced that an updated toll would be released during the course of Thursday. Until then, the number of dead and injured remained preliminary, according to the police department.