OXY Building Fire in Brussels: Six Workers Dead, Victims Identified as Investigation Continues
A catastrophic fire at the OXY building under renovation on Place De Brouckère in central Brussels has claimed the lives of six workers, with two others suffering severe burns now classified as life-threatening. As of Thursday, July 16, three of the six victims have been formally identified, and the Brussels parliament has observed a minute of silence in tribute to those who perished, according to RTBF.
The Incident
The fire broke out shortly before 8:00 AM on Tuesday, July 14, on the second floor of the OXY building, which was being converted from the former administrative headquarters of the City of Brussels into a multifunctional complex featuring apartments, restaurants, and a rooftop bar. Approximately 250 workers were present on the site at the time.
While the initial fire was quickly extinguished, flames spread into an elevator shaft, creating a new and deadly fire source. All six victims were discovered trapped in one of two blocked elevators. The second elevator was found empty after inspection. Two workers were evacuated with severe burns to a military hospital, and one firefighter was treated for hyperthermia on site.
As DH/Les Sports+ reported, a worker from the company SPIE who was on the first floor at the time described the scene: “In a few minutes, I saw a lot of smoke… And it smelled more and more. I alerted the other workers! I don’t know who followed us… I saw two burned people come out with the help of the firefighters. In 36 years of career, I’ve never seen such a toll, it’s tragic!”
Victim Identification and Injuries
As of Wednesday evening, three of the six victims have been formally identified by a forensic pathologist and the federal police’s Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team. Their families have been notified by the police victim assistance service, but no identities will be released until all families have been informed.
Brussels Mayor Philippe Close confirmed that among the missing were five Belgian nationals and one Romanian national. The two burn victims, initially reported in critical but stable condition, have been reclassified as being in life-threatening danger following a medical reassessment.
The Investigation
The Brussels Labour Auditorate (Auditorat du travail) is leading the investigation, with support from the Well-being at Work inspection service, fire experts, and the Brussels fire brigade. According to Brecht Speybroucht, spokesperson for the Labour Auditorate, there is no indication of arson. “We are currently working on the hypothesis of an unfortunate accident,” Speybroucht said in an interview on La Première.
Technical inspections of the affected floors were completed on Wednesday, with further expert examinations resuming on Thursday. Investigators say it remains impossible to determine the exact cause of the accident, the precise sequence of events, the cause of death, or potential criminal liability at this stage. First expert conclusions are not expected before Friday, July 17, or early the following week.
A Community in Mourning
The small Flemish municipality of Alken in Limburg province has been particularly hard hit. Four of the victims were residents of Alken — employees of the metal processing company OTM, which lost its 46-year-old co-manager and three employees aged 44, 36, and 23, representing half of its workforce. The municipality opened a condolence register at the municipal hall on Thursday, as reported by RTBF.
The surviving co-manager, Philip Baret, and remaining staff have continued working to keep the company operational. Mayor Marc Penxten was informed Tuesday evening that the four workers from Alken were among the victims.
Political Response
King Philippe of Belgium and Prime Minister Bart De Wever visited the scene on Tuesday afternoon, meeting with rescue services. The Brussels parliament observed a minute of silence on Thursday during its last two plenary sessions before the summer recess, and the Walloon parliament had done the same on Wednesday.
Mayor Philippe Close praised the fire brigade’s response, telling La Première: “They were incredibly effective. We dealt with true professionals who prevented this from being even worse.”
What’s Next
As the investigation continues, the main contractor Codeel has suspended all work on the site and issued a statement expressing deep sadness and confirming that psychosocial support has been made available to evacuated workers. The OXY building, once scheduled for delivery by the end of 2026, now faces an uncertain future as authorities work to determine the cause of the tragedy and whether any safety violations or criminal liability contributed to the deadliest construction site fire in recent Brussels history.
A planned surprise show by internationally renowned Belgian DJ Charlotte de Witte at the Bourse, scheduled for July 17, was cancelled out of respect for the victims.