Hoboken (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A gas explosion in Hoboken, Antwerp, killed four people and harmed five more on June 13th, 2024. An investigation concluded without revealing the cause of the explosion, while lawbreaking activities turned out to be nonexistent.
A gas explosion at Hoboken, Antwerp, on June 13, 2024, killed four people, with a 10-year-old girl and her mother among them and left five individuals injured. The explosion hit several floors of the building located at Sint-Bernardsesteenweg. Emergency responders encountered problems during victim search because the unstable building structure created difficulties.
The authorities started a judicial investigation into the incident by viewing it as an unintentional manslaughter and assault case. Investigators completed an extensive search that failed to determine the natural gas buildup source while revealing no connections to illegal causes of the explosion.
“We really want to make sure there is no one left in the building,”
Police spokesperson Kim Bastiaens told VRT.
Five other individuals sustained injuries. The Antwerp fire brigade reported that the top two floors of the four-story building were “completely blown away” by the explosion. The emergency response services implemented a medical intervention plan for coordinated disaster management.
Antwerp Mayor Bart De Wever inspected the site, where he obtained information directly from emergency response teams. Residents have formed crowds near the exploded building despite policemen maintaining a safe perimeter.
The local population remains greatly affected by the ongoing events. A judicial official takes charge of investigating accidental death and accidental non-fatal injuries. The explosion took place beyond the gas meters based on information from gas grid operator Fluvius because these devices were found to be intact.
What is the aftermath of the explosion?
The council chamber finalised the Hoboken gas explosion case file by confirming that the judicial investigation lacked evidence of illegal activities, so no prosecution would take place. The information session within the Butterfly Palace provided adequate updates regarding the investigation to family members and those affected by the accident. The Antwerp Port warehouse experienced a blaze that exposed bromine and formaldehyde, among other hazardous materials.
The authorities confirmed that someone had intentionally burned down the site. The Edison, New Jersey, natural gas explosion of March 23, 1994, resulted in the requirement that pipeline operators provide locations of their tapes through a hotline system prior to digging operations.
The process of clearance work continues to face numerous difficulties.
“The clearance work is proceeding with difficulty. The stability of the building is problematic. The fire brigade has to work extremely carefully,”
Bastiaens said.
