Belgian residential fire incidents 2026

In late June 2026 a blaze on the eighth floor of a ten‑story residential building in Antwerp’s Linkeroever district killed six people and injured dozens. Emergency services deployed multiple fire brigades, police units and a drone‑equipped team to extinguish the fire and evacuate over 200 residents. Authorities urged occupants to seal doors and windows and shut off ventilation to limit smoke spread.

Less than a month later a fire broke out in a multi‑apartment building in Brussels’s Schaerbeek district, traveling through a common stairwell. The incident resulted in two fatalities and eight injuries, two serious. Firefighters rescued unconscious victims from a third‑floor apartment using a large ladder. The city’s mayor activated the municipal emergency plan and Red Cross shelters were set up for displaced residents. The cause remains under investigation.

By late July investigators confirmed the Schaerbeek fire’s cause was still unknown. A passer‑by attempted to douse the flames with a garden hose before firefighters arrived. The public prosecutor opened an inquiry, technical experts began examinations, and the municipality provided temporary accommodation for those displaced while reviewing fire‑safety measures in densely populated residential blocks.