UPDATE: At least five dead in the fire of a block of flats in the Belgian city of Antwerp | International
Latest Developments:
The following report highlights an important international development currently attracting worldwide attention.
At least five people have died and 16 have been injured, some of them in serious condition, this Wednesday in the fire of an apartment block in the Belgian city of Antwerp, according to the local police, which has corrected downwards the initial death toll, which was six deaths. Although it is still unknown how the fire originated, the initial conclusions point to some type of “technical problem” in the building. Six hours after the fire began, apparently in the lower part of the building, the firefighters managed to completely extinguish the flames and complete the evacuation of the block of flats, from which dense smoke has emanated throughout the day that has made rescue efforts difficult. The Belgian citizen alert service Be-alert sent a message in the afternoon informing residents of the area that they could “reopen doors and windows” of the nearest homes. After reducing the number of fatalities from six to five, the police have ended the search for more people in the building. “No additional victims have been found,” said fire service spokeswoman Marie De Clercq, according to broadcaster VRT. The number of injured rises to 16, the mayor of Antwerp, Els van Doesburg, has stated. Both King Philip and the Belgian Prime Minister and former mayor of Antwerp, Bart De Wever, have traveled to the site of the fire. Hours earlier, the Flemish nationalist had expressed his solidarity and regret with the victims and neighbors and was grateful, in a message in Mijn gedachten zijn bij de slachtoffers en de geëvacueerde bewoners van de vreselijke brand op Linkeroever. — Bart De Wever (@Bart_DeWever) July 1, 2026 More than 200 people live in about 120 apartments in the affected building. Some neighbors told the local press that they had heard an explosion before a large smoke quickly spread through the corridors to the upper floors of the residential complex, on whose balconies some neighbors could be seen waiting to be rescued. Firefighters work on the building fire in Antwerp, this Wednesday. CONTACT via Europa Press (CONTACT via Europa Press)The size of the housing block forced the authorities to mobilize an important device, with more than a dozen fire trucks and reinforcements from teams from neighboring towns. Mayor Van Doesburg also traveled to the area of the accident. Rescue personnel work after the building fire in Antwerp, this Wednesday. Yves Herman (REUTERS)About 60 residents of a nearby building and rescued neighbors who were not injured have been relocated to other places, such as a nearby senior center, according to VRT. One of them is the former mayor of Antwerp, Bob Cools, 92, who was taken to hospital along with his wife. “I’m fine, but they tell me that I won’t be able to return home today, to the place where I’ve lived for 30 years. Maybe I’m left homeless,” he lamented in statements reported by local media HLN.
What Happens Next:
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Source: This article was originally published by Internacional en EL PAÍS and adapted for our international English-speaking audience.
Read the original article here.