A fire broke out in an apartment building in the city of Antwerp, Belgium, resulting in six deaths and several injuries. Firefighters took several hours to bring the fire under control.
On Wednesday, 1 July 2026, Belgian police reported a fire at a 10-story apartment building in Antwerp, causing at least six deaths and multiple injuries. Some victims had to climb balconies to escape.
The fire started before 10:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, with thick smoke billowing from the eighth floor of the building in the Linkeroever district. A video circulating online showed a man climbing from his balcony through a neighboring window to escape the smoke.
Police stated that over 200 residents lived in the apartment building. Firefighters evacuated people from 80 apartments and said the fire originated from a technical problem on the lower floor, without providing further details.
"This incident has claimed many lives in the Linkeroever area," said Kim Bastiaens, spokesperson for the local police, to the Belgian public television. She added that several people sustained serious and minor injuries.
Resident Gert De Wolf told VRT television that thick smoke trapped them inside their rooms. "We locked ourselves in and waited on the balcony. About 10 minutes later, firefighters came with ladders to help us down from the balcony."
Firefighters revealed they conducted room-by-room searches to find anyone trapped inside. They explained that the smoke spread quickly throughout the building, complicating evacuation efforts.
Another man said his in-laws, including former Antwerp mayor Bob Kools, were successfully evacuated and taken to hospital.
Police said the fire was fully contained by the afternoon. Marie De Clercq, spokesperson for Antwerp fire services, described the fire as complex, noting that poor visibility and dense smoke inside the building made firefighting efforts more difficult.
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Source:bbc