Six people were killed after a fire broke out at a building under construction in central Brussels on Tuesday, local authorities have confirmed.
The victims’ bodies were recovered from a lift trapped inside a lift shaft at the Oxy Tower, with rescue operations lasting several hours.
The blaze erupted at around 8am local time, although the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
While firefighters managed to bring the fire under control quickly, they later discovered it had spread into the building’s lift shafts, where two lifts had become stuck.
Earlier in the day, authorities said at least six people were unaccounted for. Rescue teams forced open one of the trapped lifts and found several victims inside.
A spokesperson for the Brussels Labour Prosecutor’s Office, Brecht Speybrouck, initially said the bodies could belong to the six missing workers but noted there was still concern that additional victims could be trapped in the second lift or elsewhere in the building.
The prosecutor’s office later confirmed that six bodies had been recovered from one of the lifts, according to local media reports.
Brussels Mayor Philippe Close praised emergency personnel for their efforts, describing the operation as an “exceptional job” carried out under “particularly difficult circumstances.”
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and King Philippe visited the scene later in the day, local broadcaster RTBF reported.
Local media also reported that two people were taken to hospital with serious burns, while a firefighter received treatment at the scene after suffering from exposure to extreme heat.
The Oxy Tower, located about 500 metres from Brussels’ historic Grand Place, is currently under construction and is expected to include residential apartments, a hotel, restaurants and bars once completed.
Authorities are continuing investigations to determine the cause of the deadly fire.
