A 62-year-old woman tragically died in a house fire in Kessel (between Lier and Nijlen in the province of Antwerp) on Sunday morning, according to local police chief Dirk Van Peer.
Around 08:00 on Sunday morning, the Nijlen fire brigade was called to a house fire in an apartment building in Kessel. The blaze was quickly brought under control, however, the damage is significant. The fire did not spread to surrounding properties.
"The fire was limited to one flat," explained Nijlen Mayor Paul Verbeeck (CD&V). "While extinguishing the fire, the fire brigade found the body of the occupant of the flat, a 62-year-old lady."
Damage to the apartment building as a whole remained limited. "Only the flat where the fire broke out was badly damaged," the Mayor recalled. "The other flats could be safeguarded, but they may have still suffered some smoke or water damage."
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire with the help of an expert. Further examination is required to confirm the identity of the deceased woman.
