Several people lost their lives Wednesday morning when a fire broke out at a ten-story apartment building in Antwerp, Belgium, according to local police.
Firefighters received an emergency call at 9:53 a.m. local time — 7:53 a.m. GMT — reporting a “raging fire” on the eighth floor of the building, which is located in Antwerp’s Linkeroever neighborhood, police announced on their website.
The apartment block was home to more than 200 residents, all of whom were evacuated from the building. Police confirmed that in addition to the fatalities, several people sustained injuries in the incident.
Fire crews from multiple districts converged on the scene to battle the blaze.
Authorities issued a public safety warning to people living near the building, stating: “We ask local residents affected by the smoke to close windows and doors and, if necessary, switch off ventilation.”
