At least five people were killed and 16 others injured on Wednesday morning after a massive fire swept through a 10-story apartment building in Antwerp’s Linkeroever district. The blaze, which was reported to emergency services at 9:53 a.m. local time, is believed to have been caused by a technical failure on the ground floor, sending thick smoke billowing through the upper levels of the high-rise structure.
More than 200 residents lived inside the housing complex, prompting a major emergency response that mobilized several regional fire brigades, ambulances, and a specialized drone unit. Firefighters battled the intense blaze under highly complex conditions due to extremely poor visibility and heavy smoke logging the hallways, trapping numerous residents inside their homes.
Rescuers utilized specialized fire ladders and ropes to evacuate trapped individuals directly from upper-floor terraces and balconies.
Antwerp Mayor Els Van Doesburg confirmed that none of the 16 hospitalized victims remain in life-threatening condition, and search operations within the building have officially concluded. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed his condolences to the affected families and praised first responders, as a formal judicial investigation begins.
