Emergency services were called just after 8 p.m. by a passerby who saw smoke rising from the second floor of the apartment building. The fire brigade got the fire under control fairly quickly, but found the body of the 66-year-old resident in the studio. “Emergency services have tried to resuscitate the man, but help was no longer needed,” said Mayor Vera Celis (N-VA). “The victim may have been overcome by the smoke.”
The man lived alone in the studio. The other residents of the apartment building had to leave their homes for a while, but were able to return that same evening. Sint-Dimpnaplein was closed for two hours due to the fire. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.