Boom (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In 2025, Tomorrowland’s 45m-high Orbyz stage caught fire due to flammable materials like 2,616 m³ of polystyrene. Fire expert Tim Renders warned of poor fire safety; no injuries occurred.
As VRT News reported, in Boom, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium, on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, around 6 p.m., at the Tomorrowland festival, the stage caught fire and burned quickly. The Tomorrowland festival builds a large stage each year. In 2025, the theme was Orbyz. The stage was 45 meters high and 160 meters wide. It had more than 2,000 decorations, including 65 water fountains and 2 waterfalls.
The fire happened before the festival started. Only artists and staff were on the site. Fire safety expert Tim Renders explained the situation on the VRT NWS podcast “Het Kwartier.” He said the site was still open for fire trucks. He added that the outcome could have been worse if the fire had started during the festival.
“Sooner or later, this was bound to go wrong,
someone familiar with the production process told.
“We should be very grateful there weren’t crowds on the site, because then a major disaster could have happened.”
What caused the rapid fire at Tomorrowland’s 2025 stage?
According to officials, the fire at Tomorrowland spread very quickly because of the materials used to build the huge icy-themed stage. Behind the design, there were large amounts of flammable items: 2,616 cubic meters of polystyrene, 2,278 plywood sheets, 2,460 cans of polyurethane foam, 1,440 tubes of sealant, 225 litres of wood glue, and 108 buckets of modelling paste.
Renders, a former firefighter with 25 years of experience, explained that all of these materials can catch fire easily, and together they create a serious fire risk. He mentioned that it also brings up important concerns about how fire safety is managed at big public events like this.
According to officials, Tomorrowland uses Styrofoam, also called isomo, to build the main stage decorations. This material is light and easy to shape by hand. Artists carve it into detailed designs. These pieces are then glued onto plywood to make them strong. The plywood panels are fixed to a metal frame.
They mentioned that Styrofoam breaks easily, burns quickly, and is hard to paint. To make it safer, a special spray called polyurea is used. It makes the surface hard and helps stop fires. The problem is when some parts are not fully covered. Those uncovered spots stay weak and can catch fire if there is heat or a spark.
“Fire hazard is underestimated far too often. It’s too often seen as something remote. But unfortunately, that’s not the case. With a little common sense, some things can be resolved. But for a major event, experts need to carefully consider this beforehand.”
Renders said.
The cause of the recent fire at Tomorrowland is still being looked into. However, experts say the materials used for the stage made it easy for a fire to start and spread. Fire safety expert Tim Renders says that using polystyrene, polyurethane foam, and plywood to build large stages is risky, especially if each part is not fully covered with flame-resistant spray. Even a small spark could have started the fire.
He mentioned that possible causes include fireworks that were part of the stage setup, electrical problems, or ongoing technical work. An industry expert who deemed the method of construction for the stage unsafe deemed it irresponsible.
Officials mentioned that, still, Styrofoam is frequently seen at major events and at carnival floats because it is inexpensive, lightweight, available in a variety of shapes, and is also used as a base in many creative designs. There are not as many materials or densities of material that accomplish the same task without incurring much greater expense.
