A couple tragically lost their lives in a fierce house fire in Balen, Antwerp Kempen, overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, confirmed by the Antwerp prosecutor’s office.
The victims have been identified as a 59-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman.
When firefighters reached the scene, the house was already engulfed in flames, and the roof had partially collapsed. It was deemed too dangerous to enter the building at that time to search for any occupants.
Several hours later, after the main firefighting operations concluded and the risk of further collapse had lessened, emergency services entered the property. They discovered the bodies of the two residents inside.
The cause of the fire is still unknown. The prosecutor’s office has called in a fire expert, and the forensic laboratory will conduct a thorough investigation as standard procedure. The house has been completely destroyed by the blaze.
