Police suspect deliberate blast after 30 residents evacuate Brussels apartment building

Police evacuated around 30 residents after an explosion struck an apartment building in Soldatenstraat, Sint-Agatha-Berchem, at around 23:00 on Tuesday 8 September, according to BX1 and BRUZZ. Nobody was injured. Brussels-West police suspect someone deliberately caused the blast, which badly damaged the entrance, Nieuwsblad reports. [BRUZZ](https://www.bruzz.be/actua/veiligheid/dertigtal-mensen-geevacueerd-na-explosie-sint-agatha-berchem-2026-09-09)

Police spokesperson Chief Inspector Martijn Baes told HLN that officers responded to a report of a loud bang near Schweitzerplein and found substantial damage to the building’s entrance door. He described an intentional explosion as the suspected cause. That remains a preliminary police assessment; the report does not establish who was responsible or why. [HLN](https://www.hln.be/brussel/explosie-beschadigt-inkom-van-appartementsgebouw-in-sint-agatha-berchem~aca9f990/)

Residents took shelter in a nearby café, BX1 reports. Mayor Christian Lamouline told the broadcaster that he went to the scene after being alerted at around 23:30 and called in victim support because some residents were shaken by the force of the explosion. BX1 also reported damage to a nearby pharmacy and cafeteria. [BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/news/un-engin-explosif-endommage-le-hall-dun-immeuble-a-berchem-sainte-agathe-une-trentaine-de-personnes-evacuees/)

The disruption extended into the street. According to BX1, broken glass prompted a road closure and police established a safety perimeter, which was lifted at around 02:00. Municipal workers stayed overnight to clear debris and guard the damaged entrance. The report does not specify when residents returned to their homes or whether any apartments required temporary accommodation elsewhere.

BRUZZ reports that prosecutors opened an investigation and that the federal police laboratory and bomb disposal service DOVO were called in. Identifying the explosive is part of the inquiry. Accounts differ on the forensic timetable: BRUZZ describes attendance on Tuesday night, while HLN reports further examination on Wednesday. Neither account provides findings identifying the device.

Lamouline has requested stronger police patrols, according to BX1. He described the neighbourhood as usually quiet and cautioned against drawing conclusions about a motive before the investigation is complete. The immediate response therefore remains focused on the affected building, its residents and the surrounding streets.

The outstanding questions are who caused the explosion, what was used and why this entrance was hit. HLN reports that investigators are examining the circumstances and possible perpetrators; the reporting reviewed provides no confirmed suspect identity or timetable for the investigation’s conclusions.