ANTWERP, Belgium — A massive fire tore through a 10-storey apartment block in Antwerp’s Linkeroever district, killing at least five people and injuring a significant number of others.

The fast-moving blaze forced the emergency evacuation of the high-rise complex, which serves as a home to more than 200 residents.

The local fire department received the emergency call at 9:53 AM on Thursday, July 2, 2026 reporting a "raging fire" within the residential building. Initial reports indicated the blaze manifested aggressively on the eighth floor, with thick smoke rapidly filling the corridors and cutting off escape routes for those living above.

Trapped residents were forced to retreat to their balconies to escape the suffocating black smoke. Firefighters faced incredibly intense and challenging conditions as they deployed fire ladders and used ropes to systematically lower panicked residents down the side of the 10-storey structure.

"First the electricity went out. Three minutes later we got a fire alarm. By then, there was already smoke in the hallways," recounted Geert Dewulf, a resident of the 10th floor. "We tried to get down on our own, but we couldn't manage it any more. We barricaded ourselves in our apartment and waited on the terrace. About 10 minutes later, the fire department came to rescue us."

A massive emergency response brought multiple fire brigades from surrounding districts, alongside a specialized drone unit to assist search and rescue teams. A medical emergency plan was quickly activated to coordinate the influx of victims and prevent local hospitals from being completely overwhelmed.

As thick plumes of smoke blanketered the Linkeroever neighborhood, Antwerp police issued an urgent public safety advisory ordering nearby residents to tightly close all doors and windows and disable home ventilation systems.

While early on-site assessments initially focused on the upper levels where the fire raged, subsequent forensic evaluations indicated that the disaster was caused by a technical failure originating on the ground floor of the 80-apartment complex.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, the former mayor of Antwerp, expressed profound grief over the incident. "My thoughts are with the victims and the evacuated residents of the terrible fire on Linkeroever," he stated, extending deep appreciation to the first responders who braved extreme conditions to save dozens of lives. Forensic teams and structural experts remain at the cordoned site to complete a detailed safety investigation.