Fire kills at least six in Antwerp apartment block

A major fire at a high-rise apartment building in Antwerp, Belgium, on Wednesday morning has killed at least six people and injured many others, according to police. The blaze, which broke out on the eighth floor of the 10-story building in the Linkeroever neighborhood, prompted a large-scale evacuation and rescue operation involving more than 200 residents.

Emergency services received the first call at 9:53 a.m. local time. Firefighters faced difficult conditions due to the fire's size and intensity, with heavy smoke complicating visibility and rescue efforts inside the building. A spokesperson for the Antwerp Fire Zone, Marie De Clercq, described it as a very complex firefighting operation, with more than 10 fire engines on site and assistance from several neighboring emergency zones.

Police spokesperson Kim Bastiaens confirmed the casualty toll, stating that at least six people had died and that a significant number of others were seriously or lightly injured. A medical emergency plan was activated to manage the flow of patients to nearby hospitals. The building was evacuated, though authorities expressed concern that some residents may have been trapped. The search for...