A devastating tragedy unfolded on Tuesday morning in Brussels when a fire broke out at a skyscraper under construction. According to an official statement from the Labour Prosecutor’s Office of the Belgian capital, rescuers discovered several victims trapped inside one of the building’s elevators. Investigations are currently in full swing, as the exact number of fatalities has yet to be fully confirmed.
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At the same time, deep anxiety surrounds the fate of six people who remain missing. Authorities have expressed serious concerns that those unaccounted for may be trapped in a second elevator shaft within the construction site — one that firefighters have so far been unable to access due to structural damage and hazardous conditions on site.
JUST IN: Multiple people dead, 6 missing, after a fire erupted at the OXY building in Brussels, Belgium; some victims found inside an elevator. pic.twitter.com/qha9vTTtyQ
— Scope Report (@ScopeReport_) July 14, 2026
Underlining the gravity of the situation, Brussels Labour Prosecutor’s spokesperson Brecht Speybrouck stated: “Firefighters managed to create a small opening in one of the elevators and multiple victims were found inside.”
On the progress of the investigation and whether the death toll could rise, he added: “We do not yet know how many people are in there. It is possible that these are the six missing individuals, but we cannot rule out that there may be additional people in the second elevator or elsewhere in the building.”
How the fire spread and sealed the fate of those trapped
The fire broke out shortly before 8:00 a.m. local time on the second floor of the building under construction in central Brussels.
Although the initial blaze was extinguished quickly, the flames spread into the elevator shaft, triggering a second fire inside it. That second outbreak was also brought under control by firefighting crews.
Several people have died and six others remain missing after a fire broke out at the well-known OXY building on De Brouckere Square in central Brussels on Tuesday, local media reported. pic.twitter.com/BobkBjFt0R
— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) July 14, 2026
Three injured
Two people who sustained burns were transferred to the Military Hospital in Neder-over-Heembeek, while a firefighter suffered heat exhaustion and received first aid treatment on site.
Construction workers were evacuated from the building and brought to a safe location, where the Red Cross provided psychological support. Authorities also activated both the internal emergency response plan and specialist medical and psychosocial crisis management protocols.
Cause of the fire remains unknown
The cause of the fire remains unknown at this stage and is currently under investigation by the relevant authorities.
The OXY building, which is still under construction, is intended to house apartments, restaurants, and rooftop bars upon completion.
