Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A fire erupted in the Seefhoek district of Antwerp last night within a residential apartment complex. Two individuals needed rescue as the fire brigade extracted them from the building’s rooftop.
The Seefhoek area of Antwerp witnessed a two-story apartment building fire that required hospitalisation for four individuals. The incident started around 3. a.m. at Pesthofstraat, where the fire initially appeared on the ground floor.
Rising smoke from the lower floor reached the upper levels, which required firefighters to extract two people from the rooftop. Additional verification took place on the two individuals who evacuated before firefighters checked them for smoke-related injuries. The hospital admitted all four patients for a complete assessment.
“The fire brigade rescued two people from the roof, and the medical services also checked two other people who had already left the building. All four were taken to hospital for a check-up because they may have inhaled too much smoke,”
Says police spokesman Wouter Bruyns.
The victims themselves were unable to provide shelter.
“Although the building is not uninhabitable, immediate return is not recommended due to the smoke. Victim care is looking into the shelter options,”
Says Bruyns. According to the fire department, it is not yet clear what caused the fire.
What is the background of the incident?
The dense population of Seefhoek residential areas creates safety challenges because smoke spreads quickly while escape paths remain limited. Evidence shows that Antwerp experienced an increase in residential fires during the previous year, and smoke inhalation became a primary factor in causing injuries. Multistory buildings require special fire safety measures, as demonstrated by the Pesthofstraat incident. The fire department remains involved in the investigation while victim care services search for emergency shelter to house fire victims.
