# Six people die in Brussels construction fire after rescue operation
Six people died in a fire at a building under construction in central Brussels on the event date, local authorities said, after firefighters recovered bodies from a lift shaft inside the Oxy tower.
BBC News reported that the fire broke out around 08:00 local time and was extinguished quickly, but had already spread into the lift shafts where two lifts were trapped. The bodies were found during a rescue operation that lasted several hours. Officials had initially said at least six people were missing, and rescuers worked through the building to determine whether anyone else remained inside.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known. That uncertainty was paired with a grim operational picture: one lift was pried open, several victims were found, and authorities later confirmed that six bodies had been recovered from one lift. Local media said another firefighter was treated at the scene after being exposed to high temperatures, and two injured people had already been taken to hospital with serious burns.
The tower, still under construction, is intended to house flats, a hotel, restaurants and bars once complete. It stands about 500 meters from Brussels’ Grand Place, a central landmark, which made the fire visible in one of the city’s busiest areas. Mayor Philippe Close praised emergency services for what he called exceptional work in especially difficult circumstances.
BBC’s account points to a construction-site fire that became deadly not because of a long-burning blaze, but because of how quickly it spread into an enclosed vertical shaft and trapped people inside. Investigators were still working to establish the cause and determine whether any others were missing.
The building’s unfinished state likely made the emergency even more difficult. The BBC report says the fire spread into lift shafts and trapped people inside at least two lifts, which explains why responders spent several hours recovering bodies rather than just putting out flames. Once a fire reaches vertical shafts in a tall building, smoke and heat can move quickly, turning a localized blaze into a lethal rescue problem.
The article also matters because it shows how quickly a workplace fire can overwhelm a construction site. The excerpt says the tower was still under construction and would eventually contain homes, a hotel and hospitality venues. That future use does not change the present loss, but it does place the building in a busy part of the city where emergency crews were operating close to a major landmark. The investigation into the cause will need to determine not only ignition, but also why people were trapped and how access was handled.
