At least two dead, four missing after fire in Oxy building in Brussels

BRUSSELS -- At least two people have died and four remained missing after a fire broke out shortly before 8 am Tuesday at the Oxy building in central Brussels, Belgian media reported, citing the Brussels Labor Prosecutor's Office.

The office said the figures were provisional and an investigation into the fire had been launched.

Earlier reports said several bodies had been found in lift shafts of the building which is undergoing extensive renovation.

The fire broke out on the second floor of the building. Citing Brussels fire brigade spokesperson Walter Derieuw, local media reported that flames spread into a lift shaft.

The fire was later brought under control, while search and rescue teams continued to inspect the lift shafts.

Brussels Mayor Philippe Close said 250 workers had been evacuated from the building and taken to a nearby municipal administrative building. "I do not recall such a deadly fire in the City of Brussels. The scale of the casualties is deeply alarming to us," he said.

Belgian King Philippe and Prime Minister Bart De Wever visited the scene on Tuesday afternoon, meeting and thanking firefighters involved in the rescue operation.

According to Belgian media, two people suffering from burns were taken to hospital, while one firefighter was treated at the scene for heat exhaustion. Traffic on several nearby streets was also disrupted.

The Oxy building is being redeveloped into a complex that will include offices, housing, retail space, restaurants and a hotel. The building is currently unoccupied.

Close said forensic experts, the Brussels Labor Prosecutor's Office and the police were working together to determine what had happened. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.