Five people have been killed and sixteen others injured after a fire broke out in a ten-storey apartment building in Antwerp, Belgium, on Wednesday morning. The blaze began shortly before 10:00 local time on the August Vermeylenlaan in the Linkeroever district — a residential area on the left bank of the River Scheldt — and was described by firefighters as a highly complex incident involving intense smoke and limited visibility throughout the building. By the afternoon, the fire had been fully extinguished and emergency services confirmed they were no longer searching for additional victims.

Authorities believe the fire originated on the ground floor due to a technical fault, possibly within an electrical shaft, which allowed it to spread rapidly through the building. The thick smoke that filled the corridors and stairwells made independent evacuation extremely difficult for many residents, particularly elderly occupants. More than 200 people live in the building, and firefighters evacuated 80 apartments, deploying drones and receiving assistance from neighbouring emergency zones. Residents who could not escape were advised via a public alert system to seal their doors and windows and wait for rescue. One resident on the tenth floor, Geert Dewulf, described how the power cut out first, followed within minutes by fire alarms and smoke in the hallways. He and his partner barricaded themselves in their apartment and waited on their balcony until firefighters reached them by ladder.

A medical intervention plan was activated to manage pressure on local hospitals. Of the sixteen people taken to hospital with injuries ranging from serious to minor, none were reported to be in life-threatening condition by the evening, with reports suggesting most had already been discharged. Displaced residents were taken in at a reception centre, with authorities confirming they would not be able to return home overnight, though they were permitted to collect essential belongings.

The scale of the tragedy prompted a swift response at the highest levels. King Philippe of the Belgians travelled to Linkeroever to meet evacuated residents and view the scene. Antwerp mayor Els van Doesburg called it a pitch-black day for the city. The incident underscores longstanding concerns about fire safety in large residential blocks, particularly those housing vulnerable and elderly populations, where smoke inhalation rather than direct flames often proves the greatest threat to life.