Overview
- A fire started on the eighth floor of a 10-storey apartment block in Linkeroever, Antwerp after a 'raging fire' call at 9:53 a.m. Wednesday and prompted the evacuation of about 200 residents.
- Antwerp police and fire officials have confirmed multiple fatalities, with a police spokesperson saying at least five people have died and many more are injured.
- Fire Zone Antwerp and neighbouring units deployed more than 10 fire engines, civil protection teams and a drone unit to carry out rescues and search smoky, low-visibility interiors.
- A medical emergency plan was activated to manage casualties and prevent hospital overload while crews continue searches, extinguish hotspots and examine the scene for cause.
- High-rise fires in densely populated Belgian neighbourhoods typically require multi-zone coordination and forensic work, and investigators have not yet determined what sparked this blaze.