A fire broke out just before 10 a.m. local time on July 1, 2026, on the eighth floor of a 10-storey apartment building in the Linkeroever district of Antwerp, Belgium [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The building housed more than 200 residents, all or nearly all of whom were evacuated [1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 5, 6].
At least five people died in the blaze, authorities confirmed, correcting earlier reports that listed six fatalities. Antwerp police spokesperson Kim Bastiaens said, "Right now, unfortunately, at least 5 people have died in the fire. There are also a significant number of seriously injured people, as well as a number of lightly injured." Several others were hospitalized with serious injuries, though exact numbers have not been released [3, 8, 7, 9, 5].
Firefighters faced harsh conditions battling the blaze, citing thick smoke, poor visibility, and rapid fire spread within the building. Marie De Clercq, a spokesperson for the Antwerp Fire Zone, described it as "a very complex fire with poor visibility and heavy smoke inside the building. That makes it more difficult to extinguish." Fire crews rescued some residents from balconies using ladders and ropes while others barricaded themselves inside flats awaiting rescue [1, 4, 7, 9, 5].
The fire department received the emergency call at 9:53 a.m. and immediately launched evacuation and rescue operations amid the intensifying fire and smoke [2, 4]. By the end of the day’s efforts, police confirmed evacuations were complete for the over 200 residents who lived in the building [3, 8, 7, 9, 6].
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Some reports noted possible technical faults on the ground floor, while others mentioned roofing work in progress as a possible origin [1, 7, 5, 6]. A judicial investigation has been launched with a public prosecutor and an investigating judge assigned to examine the incident's cause [6].
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed his condolences and gratitude for the emergency teams. He said, "My thoughts are with the victims and the evacuated residents of the terrible fire on Linkeroever. My deep appreciation goes out to the emergency services who are striving to help the many affected people as quickly and safely as possible, and who are working hard to bring the fire under control." [4]
Local police advised nearby residents to keep windows and doors closed and to switch off ventilation systems to avoid smoke inhalation [2, 3, 4, 5].
The investigation will continue as authorities work to determine the fire’s origin and exact cause.
