Schaerbeek fire kills two, injures eight

A severe fire broke out late Saturday night in the common areas of a residential building in Schaerbeek, a municipality of the Brussels capital region. Firefighters contained the blaze around 03:10 local time, but two people were found dead and eight others were hospitalized, two of them in serious condition.

The cause of the fire remains unknown and the public prosecutor has opened an investigation, while technical experts are conducting examinations. Residents were evacuated, and the local municipality has provided temporary accommodation for those displaced. Authorities are reviewing fire‑safety measures in densely populated residential blocks.

Witnesses reported that a passer‑by, identified as Constantin, tried to extinguish the flames with a garden hose before the fire services arrived, describing the incident as "tragic".