New Delhi. Several people died in a massive fire in a 10-storey residential building in the city of Antwerp in Northern Belgium on Wednesday. The local police has confirmed the incident. The Antwerp fire department said a large-scale emergency response was launched as soon as the fire was reported. Fire brigade was immediately dispatched to the spot, where they started rescue and extinguishing the fire.

According to the information given by the police, about 200 people live in this 10-storey building. At present, the cause of the fire has not been known nor has the exact number of casualties been disclosed. The rescue operation is underway and officials are investigating the matter. This tragic incident has caused a wave of mourning in the local community.

How did the fire break out in the 10 storey building?

According to officials, at 9:53 am local time, the fire brigade received a report of a major fire on the eighth floor of a residential building located in the Linkeroever area of ​​​​Antwerp. After this, many fire brigade vehicles from different areas of the city reached the spot and started the operation to control the fire as well as to evacuate the people safely. According to the police, this building where more than 200 people lived was completely evacuated. Firemen remained busy extinguishing the fire. Officials said that many people have died in the accident. Many other people have also been injured.

Why did the administration issue the advisory?

The administration has issued an advisory to the people living nearby and appealed to keep the windows and doors of their houses closed due to smoke. “Local residents affected by smoke should keep their windows and doors closed and turn off ventilation systems if necessary,” police said in a statement. Search, rescue and damage assessment work is underway at the scene. Complete information about the number of deaths and damage is still awaited.