Multiple people have died and six others remain missing after a major fire ripped through a construction site in central Brussels. The blaze broke out early on Tuesday at the OXY redevelopment project on Place de Brouckère, where more than 200 workers were reported to be on site. Emergency crews searching the building discovered multiple bodies inside one of two lift shafts, although officials have not yet confirmed how many victims have been found or whether they account for the six workers still missing. 
Three workers were taken to hospital suffering from severe burns, while a firefighter was also treated after developing heatstroke during the rescue operation. Rescue teams continue to search the site amid fears additional workers may still be trapped. According to the Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office, the missing workers could be inside a second lift that firefighters have so far been unable to access due to the damage caused by the blaze. 
Brecht Speybrouck, spokesperson for the Brussels Labour Inspectorate, said: “These are workers whom we know were working, but with whom we have been unable to make contact. “Two lifts are stuck in two lift shafts. The fire brigade has now managed to make a small opening in one of those lifts, and we have found several victims inside. It is not yet clear exactly how many people. “It may be all six of the missing persons, but there may also be people in the other lift, or elsewhere.” The cause of the fire remains unknown, and Belgian authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. The OXY project, located in the heart of Brussels, has become the focus of a major emergency response as firefighters, police and specialist rescue teams continue searching for survivors. The number of fatalities is expected to be confirmed once recovery operations progress and victims have been formally identified. The investigation into the cause of the blaze is ongoing.
