Tragedy in Brussels, fire in a building under renovation – suspected 20 victims and several injured

A severe tragedy struck Brussels today, where after a fire broke out in a building under renovation, several people were found dead inside one of the elevators.

The Labor Prosecutor’s Office in Brussels confirmed the incident, although the official death toll has not yet been announced. However, unofficial sources speak of about 20 victims. According to reports, six people are still missing, and investigators are assessing the possibility that they may be trapped in a second elevator, which rescue teams have not yet been able to enter.

“After a great effort, the firefighters opened a small crack in one of the elevators and there discovered several victims. We do not yet have an exact number of people inside. There is a possibility that the six missing persons are there, but it cannot be ruled out that there are other people in the other elevator or in other areas of the construction site,” said the spokesperson for the Labor Prosecutor’s Office in Brussels.

Preliminary data indicate that the fire broke out shortly before 8:00 a.m. local time, on the second floor of the building that was being restored. Although the initial flames were quickly brought under control, they managed to spread through the elevator shaft, causing a second fire outbreak, which was later extinguished by the responding forces.

As a result of the incident, three people sustained injuries. Two workers who suffered burns were urgently taken to the Military Hospital in Neder-over-Heembeek, while a firefighter was treated at the scene for exhaustion caused by high temperatures.

All other workers were evacuated from the building and placed in a safety zone, where Red Cross teams offered them psychological assistance. In addition, the authorities activated the emergency plan as well as protocols for managing medical and psychosocial crises.

The causes that led to the fire remain unclear and are currently under investigation. The OXY building project, where the serious incident occurred, planned for it to be transformed into a modern complex with apartments, restaurants, and a rooftop bar.