Belgian 10 storey apartment block fire leaves five dead

At least five people died in a fire at a 10-storey apartment tower in Antwerp, Belgium, police said.

Police spokesman Kim Bastiaens said it was too early to give a figure on the number of injured or to determine the cause of the fire.

Reuters saw rescuers rope residents off the side of the building. Survivors described being trapped inside until police and fire crews arrived shortly after the fire started in the morning.

Jaklien Heeren, 80, who lives on the fifth floor, said he considered himself lucky to have escaped.

“I tried to go downstairs, opened the door and I could smell the fire,” he said.

“(I) could see little flames coming and then I got out and from then on I don’t know anything anymore. I got out and I got lucky.”

He said he managed to get his dog out of the building, but his two neighbors did not answer their calls.

Geert Dewulf, who lives on the 10th floor, told Belgian broadcaster VRTNWS: “We tried to go down on our own, but we couldn’t get any further. We barricaded ourselves in our flat and waited on the terrace. About 10 minutes later, the fire brigade came to rescue us from the terrace with a fire escape.”

In addition to ambulances and other emergency teams, many fire brigades from different regions were also at the scene. The police told the surrounding citizens to keep their doors and windows closed to avoid being harmed by the smoke.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, former mayor of Antwerp, told X that his thoughts were with the victims.

Belgium has experienced a number of serious fires in recent weeks, including one at a warehouse in Brussels.