Fire kills five at Antwerp apartment block

A major fire that tore through a residential building in Linkeroever, Antwerp, has killed at least five people, with emergency services continuing rescue operations at the scene.

The blaze broke out at 9:53am on Wednesday on the eighth floor of a 10-storey block on August Vermeylenlaan, triggering a major emergency response. Over 10 fire engines were deployed, with assistance from multiple emergency zones including the Waasland Emergency Zone, Fire Zone Rand, and Emergency Zone Rivierenland. The Medical Disaster Plan was activated in response to the scale of the incident.

More than 200 residents lived in the building, and approximately 80 flats were evacuated. Police spokeswoman Kim Bastiaens told Belgian public television: "It has claimed a heavy toll here at Linkeroever," adding that a number of people had suffered from serious and minor injuries.

Marie De Clercq of Fire Zone Antwerp described the emergency response: "At 9.53am we were called out to a fire in an apartment building on Linkeroever. When our teams arrived they already saw a thick plume of smoke. It was clear that it was an intense fire. Firefighters are currently still working to get everyone out. We do not know how many people are inside or how many need to be brought out."

Firefighters described the operation as complex, with poor visibility and thick smoke making evacuation difficult. Resident Geert Dewulf recounted his escape: "We barricaded ourselves into our flat and waited on the balcony. The fire brigade came to rescue us from the balcony 10 minutes or so later with their ladder."

Another resident reported that his parents-in-law, including former Antwerp mayor Bob Cools, had been successfully evacuated and taken to hospital.

Authorities stated the fire was caused by a technical problem on the ground floor. Evacuated residents were housed at a nearby reception centre with psychosocial support available.