Several dead and six missing after major fire in the Oxy building in central Brussels

A major fire broke out in the Oxy building in central Brussels. Belgian news outlets — De Standaard, Het Nieuwsblad, De Morgen and Het Laatste Nieuws — reported several people dead and six missing. Key entities include the Brussels fire brigade and emergency services responding at the scene, and the Brussels public prosecutor's office, which typically investigates fatal fires. Precise casualty figures, the identities of victims, and the cause of the blaze were not confirmed in the initial reporting and remain under investigation.

Fatal building fires in dense European city centres repeatedly expose gaps in fire prevention, alarm systems and evacuation routes, and they are typically followed by investigations into the structure's safety compliance. Brussels, like other capitals, has faced scrutiny over building safety after serious fires, and deadly incidents tend to prompt reviews of prevention rules once the emergency response concludes.