Several killed as fire rips through Antwerp apartment block

Several people were killed after fire tore through a 10-storey apartment block on August Vermeylenlaan in Antwerp’s Linkeroever district, as police continued searching the building for any further victims. The blaze started on the eighth floor, and police had not yet released an exact death toll.

The local fire department received the call at 9:53 a.m. on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, about a raging fire in the block, which was home to more than 200 people. The building was evacuated, and several people were injured as firefighters moved through the structure.

Smoke from the fire spread beyond the block, prompting police to warn nearby residents to close windows and doors and, if necessary, switch off ventilation. Several fire brigades from different districts were sent to the scene, where crews were battling difficult conditions because of the size and intensity of the blaze.

Antwerp fire brigade spokeswoman Marie de Clercq said the fire was complex and that poor visibility and thick smoke inside the building had made it difficult to extinguish. Prime Minister Bart De Wever said his thoughts were with the victims and the evacuated residents.