© picture alliance / NurPhoto | Beata Zawrzel
Several people have died in a fire at an apartment building on August Vermeylenlaan on the Linkeroever in Antwerp, according to the Antwerp police.
“At 9:53 a.m., we were called to a fire in an apartment building on Linkeroever,” fire department spokeswoman Marie De Clercq told De Morgen. “When our crews arrived, they could already see a thick plume of smoke. It was clear that this was a severe fire. Firefighters are currently still working to evacuate everyone. We do not know how many people are inside or how many need to be brought out.”
It is still unclear exactly where the fire started—on the eighth or the tenth floor. The exact cause of the fire is also unknown.
Shortly after noon, emergency services were working on the complete evacuation of the large apartment building. According to the Antwerp Fire Department, a total of about 200 people live in the building.
The authorities activated the medical emergency plan. The victims are being cared for at a shelter, the police reported.
Several fire departments are involved in the firefighting efforts. “It is a very extensive firefighting operation; at this moment, more than 10 fire engines are on the scene. We are receiving assistance from the Waasland Emergency Services Zone, the Rand Fire Department, and the Rivierenland Emergency Services Zone. Civil Protection is also on the scene,” Marie De Clercq of the Antwerp Fire Department told the newspaper.
Illustration picture: © picture alliance / NurPhoto | Beata Zawrzel