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Catastrophe

Bodies found after Antwerp apartment blast

January 16, 2018

A suspected gas explosion in the Belgian city of Antwerp has claimed at least two lives and injured at least 14 people. The explosion ripped through apartment buildings, causing at least one building to collapse.

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Belgien Explosion in Antwerpen
Image: Getty Images/AFP/Belga/D. Waem

Building brought down by blast in Antwerp

Two bodies were recovered by rescuers on Tuesday morning in the port city of Antwerp after an explosion caused severe damage to several apartment buildings, Belgian authorities said.

"Police confirm two more victims found under the rubble, both deceased. The victims have not yet been identified," Antwerp police said on Twitter.

Building in Antwerp
The facades of some buildings were ripped off by the blastImage: Getty Images/AFP/Belga/D. Waem

Rescuers worked through the night sifting through rubble after the blast damaged several buildings in the Paardenmarkt area of the city on Monday night, causing at least one of the buildings to collapse.

The explosion sent another 14 people to the hospital, one of whom is in critical condition.

Several people, including a couple and their child, were pulled from the rubble alive after being trapped for several hours.

Read more: Belgian government embroiled in deportation scandal

Police said they are still working on determining the cause of the explosion, but said that the blast is not related to terrorism.

Belgium's French-language broadcaster RTBF reported that the explosion was likely caused by a gas leak, but officials have not yet commented on the cause.

Images from the scene show the facades of several buildings almost completely torn off by the blast.

rs/rc (AFP, dpa)