Herdersem (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A deadly house fire in Herdersem, Aalst, early Saturday, Dec 27, 2025, killed a 60-year-old man. Firefighters battled flames until 9:30 a.m. Mayor Christoph D’Haese and investigators are probing the cause.

As VRT News reported, a deadly house fire broke out in the early hours of Saturday, Dec 27, 2025, in Herdersem, near Aalst. Emergency services were called shortly after 3:00 a.m. to a home on Baatmeers. When firefighters and police arrived, the house was already completely on fire. Fire crews fought the flames from outside and worked to bring the situation under control.

What caused the Herdersem house fire?

Firefighters entered the house after the fire was extinguished and the building was secured as safe. Inside the home, they discovered the body of a 60-year-old. He died on the scene. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The police and the fire investigators are both investigating the incident.

Mayor Christoph D’Haese (N-VA) responded to the fatal fire by expressing his condolences to the victim’s family and friends. He said his thoughts were with them after the loss. Firefighters remained at the scene for several hours because the fire took a long time to extinguish.

Crews worked through the night to fully put out the flames and secure the damaged building. The final fire engine was only able to return to the station at around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec 27, 2025.

The area has seen similar incidents in past years. On February 14, 2023, East Flanders had a night fire that resulted in the death of a person after firefighters were unable to get into the building due to heavy smoke.

Another house fire happened in the Aalst area on December 7, 2022, and resulted in the death of another person. In both of those incidents, emergency personnel worked long hours to bring the situation under control.