Several Killed and Injured After 10‑Storey Antwerp Apartment Building Fire

Multiple deaths and injuries were reported after a fire erupted in a 10‑storey housing block in Antwerp’s Linkeroever district.

Smoke billowed from the eighth floor just before 10:00 local time, forcing residents to seal themselves inside and await evacuation from balconies.

Video footage captured a man climbing from his balcony through a neighbour’s window to escape the thick black smoke.

Police confirmed more than 200 people live in the complex and that bodies of several victims have already been recovered.

Residents who were trapped described how firefighters arrived on ladders within approximately ten minutes.

One evacuee mentioned that the ex‑mayor of Antwerp, Bob Cools, was safely evacuated and taken to hospital.

Preliminary investigations suggest the blaze may have been linked to roof work, though the exact cause remains undetermined.

Fire brigade spokeswoman Marie de Clercq said the fire was “complex” and visibility was severely reduced by smoke.

Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed his condolences, calling the event a “terrible fire.”