# Rescue Teams Pull Multiple Bodies From A Stuck Lift After Brussels Tower Fire

> A fire that broke out at the Oxy tower, a building under construction in central Brussels, spread into the lift shafts on Tuesday, and rescuers found multiple bodies after prying open one trapped lift. At least six people remain missing as the search continues.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Europe · **Published:** 2026-07-14 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/europe/brussels-ke-oxy-tower-men-aga-bujhane-pahunchi-tima-ko-phnsi-liphta-men-mile-kai-shava-7664 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Brussels fire, Oxy Tower Brussels, Brussels lift shaft rescue, Belgium construction site fire, Brussels building fire deaths, King Philippe Belgium

A fire that tore through a building under construction in the centre of Brussels on Tuesday has killed several people, local authorities said, as rescue crews continued searching the site for anyone still trapped. The blaze broke out at the Oxy tower, a high-rise still being built in the Belgian capital, and officials said at least six people remain missing as the operation goes on. Officials have not yet confirmed the identities of those who died, and an exact, final count of the fatalities had not been given in the initial statements from the scene.

## Flames trapped two lifts mid-shaft
Firefighters reached the site quickly and managed to bring the visible flames under control within a short time of arriving. It was only once crews moved inside the building that the true scale of the danger became clear. The fire had already travelled up into the lift shafts, and two separate lifts had come to a stop partway up, with people apparently trapped inside them.

Emergency crews forced open one of the two stuck lift cars first. Brecht Speybrouck, spokesperson for the Brussels Labour Prosecutor's Office, said rescuers found several victims, adding that they did not yet know exactly how many. He said the dead could turn out to be the six people already reported missing, but cautioned that the toll might rise further because a second lift, and other parts of the sprawling construction site, had not yet been fully searched. He explained that it could be the six missing people, but there could also be more in the other lift, or elsewhere, making clear that no final figure had been confirmed and that the search operation was continuing.

## Two hospitalised, cause of the blaze still unclear
Local media reported that two people were taken to hospital with serious burn injuries suffered in the fire. A firefighter who had been working inside the building was also treated at the scene after being exposed to extremely high temperatures during the operation. The exact circumstances that led to those injuries have not been detailed further, beyond confirmation that they occurred as the emergency response was under way inside and around the burning tower.

Investigators have not said what sparked the fire, and no cause has been announced so far. Because the building was still an active construction site, teams are having to work through a maze of unfinished floors, exposed shafts and stairwells that are far more hazardous than in a completed building, which is part of why establishing the final toll is taking time.

## Mayor, prime minister and king respond
Philippe Close, the mayor of Brussels, publicly thanked the emergency services for their response, saying they did an exceptional job while working in particularly difficult circumstances. Prime Minister Bart De Wever travelled to the scene himself as the rescue and recovery effort continued. Philippe, King of the Belgians, was expected to arrive at the site later, according to Belgian outlet RTBF.

## A tower meant for flats, a hotel, restaurants and bars
The Oxy tower was not yet finished at the time of the fire. Once construction is complete, the building is meant to house a combination of flats, a hotel, and restaurants and bars, forming part of a wider redevelopment in central Brussels. The site lies around 500m, about 0.3 miles, from the Grand Place, the Baroque square that sits at the historic heart of the Belgian capital and is one of its most visited landmarks.

The fire's location, so close to a square that draws large numbers of visitors and workers every day, has added to the shock in the city, even though the building itself was not yet open to the public or occupied by tenants. For now, the search of the second lift and the rest of the site continues, with officials cautioning that Tuesday's death toll may not yet be the final one.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. When and where did the fire break out?
The fire broke out on Tuesday at the Oxy tower, a building under construction in central Brussels.

### 2. How many people have died?
Officials have not given an exact number, saying only that several bodies were found in one lift and that at least six people were reported missing.

### 3. What caused the fire?
The cause of the fire has not been established and officials have not announced a reason so far.

### 4. Why did this fire turn so dangerous?
It spread from the upper levels into the building's lift shafts, where two lifts got stuck partway up with people trapped inside.

### 5. Who confirmed that victims were found?
Brecht Speybrouck, spokesperson for the Brussels Labour Prosecutor's Office, confirmed that several victims were found after rescuers forced open one of the stuck lifts.

### 6. Were there any other injuries?
Yes, two people were taken to hospital with serious burns, and a firefighter was treated at the scene after exposure to high temperatures.

### 7. Who visited the site after the fire?
Brussels mayor Philippe Close praised the emergency services, Prime Minister Bart De Wever travelled to the scene, and King Philippe was expected to arrive later.

### 8. What was the Oxy tower meant to become?
Once finished, it was meant to house flats, a hotel, and restaurants and bars.

### 9. How close is the Oxy tower to central Brussels landmarks?
It sits about 500m, roughly 0.3 miles, from the Grand Place, Brussels' central Baroque square.

### 10. Is the search for victims finished?
No, officials said the second lift and other parts of the site still need to be searched, so the death toll could still rise.

---
_TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._