At least six dead after fire in Antwerp apartment block
At least six people have died after a fire broke out in a 10-storey apartment block in Antwerp, Belgian police said. Several others were injured in the blaze, which sent black smoke billowing from the building and prompted a large evacuation. Footage from the scene showed one man climbing from a balcony before being helped into a neighbouring window.
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Police said the fire began just before 10:00 local time on Wednesday, or 08:00 GMT, and was caused by a technical problem on the ground floor. More than 200 people live in the block, and the fire department evacuated 80 flats as crews worked to bring the situation under control. The immediate scale of the response underlines how quickly the incident spread through the residential building.
The deaths and injuries make this one of the most serious residential fires reported in the city in recent times. The evacuation of dozens of homes also suggests significant disruption for residents, many of whom will have been forced to leave belongings behind. With smoke visible from outside the block, the incident raised urgent concerns about the safety of those trapped inside and the speed of the emergency response.
The fire also highlights the risks posed by technical faults in densely populated apartment buildings. In a block housing more than 200 residents, even a localised problem on the ground floor can quickly become a major emergency if smoke and flames move through shared spaces. The incident is likely to prompt questions about building safety, evacuation procedures and the condition of electrical or other technical systems in older residential blocks.
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Belgium has seen other serious fire incidents in residential and public buildings in the past, and such events often lead to reviews of safety standards and emergency planning. In this case, police have already identified a technical problem as the apparent cause, but the exact nature of that fault has not been made public. The focus now is likely to remain on identifying the victims, supporting those displaced and assessing whether the building can be safely reoccupied.
What remains unclear is the full number of injured people and whether anyone is still receiving treatment after the blaze. It is also not yet known how extensive the damage is inside the apartment block or how long residents may be unable to return. Further official updates are expected as investigators examine the cause and emergency crews complete their work at the scene.
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