Hoboken, Antwerp – June 14, 2024: Tragedy struck Hoboken as a fourth deceased victim was discovered last night in the rubble of an apartment building following a massive explosion early Thursday morning. Emergency services are now intensively searching for at least one more missing person amidst the debris.
The explosion, which occurred at approximately 06:30 on Sint-Bernardsesteenweg, led to the immediate discovery of the first fatality—a 44-year-old man—on Thursday morning. Throughout the day, two more bodies, including that of a child, were found.
In total, five individuals have sustained injuries from the blast. Despite the exhaustive efforts, rescue teams continued their search overnight and are still on the scene, determined to find any remaining survivors.
“We really want to make sure there is no one left in the building,” police spokesperson Kim Bastiaens told VRT. The challenging search operation is compounded by the precarious stability of the building, necessitating extreme caution from the fire brigade.
“The clearance work is proceeding with difficulty. The stability of the building is problematic. The fire brigade has to work extremely carefully,” Bastiaens emphasized.
Authorities have not confirmed the exact number of people still unaccounted for, but it is believed that at least one more person could be trapped beneath the rubble. “We will keep working until we are 100% certain,” Bastiaens affirmed.
The potential cause of the explosion remains under investigation. Although it bears the hallmarks of a gas explosion, conclusive evidence is still lacking.
The gas network manager, Fluvius, has reported that the building’s gas meters remain intact, indicating that the explosion did not occur at the gas entry point. “It is still too early to make any statements about the cause; we are still surveying everything,” a police spokesperson stated.
The blast’s intensity was such that it shattered windows in nearby buildings and caused substantial structural damage. The explosion was significant enough to warrant the attention of Belgium’s King Philippe, who visited the site on Friday morning.
Accompanied by outgoing Home Affairs Minister Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) and Antwerp Mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA), the monarch received briefings from on-site rescue workers and expressed his solidarity with the victims and their families.
Local residents, deeply affected by the tragic events, have been gathering near the site, albeit kept at a safe distance by police. Their presence underscores the community’s shared grief and concern for those still missing.
In the immediate aftermath of the explosion, De Wever, along with Antwerp Governor Cathy Berx, surveyed the scene and coordinated the emergency response.
As of Thursday afternoon, heavy machinery, including cranes, was deployed to remove the blown-off roof and upper floors, inadvertently causing large debris to fall.
The recovery operation is ongoing, with rescue workers meticulously combing through the rubble, hoping against hope to find any remaining survivors. The community, while grieving, remains resilient and united in the face of this disaster, awaiting further updates with bated breath.
As investigations continue to determine the exact cause of this tragic event, the priority remains firmly on the search and rescue efforts, ensuring that no stone is left unturned in the quest to account for every individual affected by this devastating explosion.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
