Brussels, 14 July (LaPresse) – “We cannot confirm the identities of the victims. We have found six bodies; the sixth has also been confirmed.” This was stated by Valentina Marocchi, the Labour Prosecutor in Brussels, speaking to journalists outside the Oxy complex in the city centre, where a fire broke out today. “We do not yet have any information on the victims” regarding their ages, and identification is underway with the help of their families. The causes of death have not yet been established, and we will have to await the experts’ findings. At present, the coroner is carrying out an initial post-mortem examination, which will be followed by a more detailed examination to determine the cause of death. “The lift fell, so the difficulty lay in raising it high enough to gain access,” he explains, emphasising that this was an accident at work. According to initial reports, lift number 2 also fell, but work on this one will begin once operations on lift number 1 have been completed. At present, the possibility of other bodies being present in the second lift cannot be ruled out. The investigation will continue over the coming days, and an expert is expected to arrive tomorrow to determine the causes of the fire and assess the situation. According to initial reports, most of the victims, who were at work, are believed to be of Belgian origin, and there are also said to be some young people among them. “This is the most serious workplace accident in the last 20 years,” according to the Mayor of Brussels, Philippe Close.
Belgium: six fatalities confirmed in the Brussels fire: lifts collapsed
Brussels, 14 July (LaPresse) – “We cannot confirm the identities of the victims. We have found six bodies; the sixth has also been confirmed.” This was stated by Valentina Marocchi, the Labour Prosecutor in Brussels, speaking to journalists outside the Oxy complex in the city centre, where a fire broke out today. “We do not yet have any information on the victims” regarding their ages, and identification is underway with the help of their families. The causes of death have not yet been established, and we will have to await the experts’ findings. At present, the coroner is carrying out an initial post-mortem examination, which will be followed by a more detailed examination to determine the cause of death. “The lift fell, so the difficulty lay in raising it high enough to gain access,” he explains, emphasising that this was an accident at work. According to initial reports, lift number 2 also fell, but work on this one will begin once operations on lift number 1 have been completed. At present, the possibility of other bodies being present in the second lift cannot be ruled out. The investigation will continue over the coming days, and an expert is expected to arrive tomorrow to determine the causes of the fire and assess the situation. According to initial reports, most of the victims, who were at work, are believed to be of Belgian origin, and there are also said to be some young people among them. “This is the most serious workplace accident in the last 20 years,” according to the Mayor of Brussels, Philippe Close.
