Bruges (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A major fire destroyed 2 buildings on Sint-Amandsstraat, Bruges. Fire Zone 1, led by Major Jeroen Bonte, deployed 4 engines, 2 ladders, and a drone. No injuries reported; cause under investigation.
As VRT News reported, a major fire broke out in the centre of Bruges on Wednesday morning, Jan 7, 2026, destroying 2 buildings on Sint-Amandsstraat. Firefighters were called at around 9:00 a.m. after reports of flames in the apartments above Café Balthasar. When they arrived, they discovered that the fire had started in a building behind the café and had quickly spread to the building facing the street.
What caused the major fire that destroyed 2 buildings in Bruges?
The cause of the fire is under investigation. The public prosecutor’s office has been informed, and a fire expert has been appointed to determine how the fire started and why it spread.
“We’re on site with four fire engines and two ladder trucks. A drone was also deployed to get a good overview of the situation,”
Bonte explains.
“The fire was very difficult to access due to the location of the buildings. We deployed two ladder trucks to extinguish the fire from above, and our crews also worked from the roofs of neighbouring houses.”
No one was injured in the fire, authorities confirmed. Major Jeroen Bonte of Fire Zone 1 said all residents were able to leave the buildings safely before the flames spread.
“They are being looked after in a nearby restaurant,”
he added. The residents receive food, shelter, and support while firefighters continue their work.
“Afterwards, we’ll have to cover the roofs with a tarpaulin. So the intervention will take all day,”
says Bonte.
The fire department said both buildings have been destroyed. Officials also said it is too early to know what caused the blaze.
“The owner of the building where the fire started mentions problems with the chimney. But it’s up to the fire expert to determine the exact cause,”
Bonte concludes.
On December 12, 2024, a significant fire broke out at a warehouse located in Sint-Michiels just outside Bruges; no casualties were reported as a result. On March 15, 2025, there was also a fire at a bikesharing facility that caused the release of toxic asbestos.
Historic buildings have experienced loss or damage due to being consumed by flames, including the Belfry of Bruges, which has been burned down many times during the Middle Ages (including being lost to a series of fires between 1280 and 1369).
The roof of St. Salvator’s Cathedral also suffered collapse due to being burned down in a large fire in 1839; various other types of both large and small residential and commercial property fires have occurred in Bruges over the last few decades, sometimes resulting in extensive damage to affected properties.
