Six people have died after a fire broke out at a building under construction in central Brussels, with their bodies later recovered from a lift trapped inside a damaged shaft.
The blaze began at around 08:00 on Tuesday at the Oxy building in the city center before spreading into the lift shafts, complicating rescue operations.
Authorities said approximately 250 workers were evacuated from the site, while two people were hospitalized with severe burns and a firefighter was treated after exposure to high temperatures.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Firefighters initially brought the blaze under control, but officials said it spread into the lift shafts and reached an underground section of the building, making access difficult.
Emergency crews used thermal cameras and sniffer dogs as rescuers worked for several hours to reach the trapped lifts.
Authorities earlier reported that six workers were missing before confirming that six bodies had been retrieved from one of the elevators.
Officials said investigations continue to determine whether anyone else may have been affected elsewhere in the building.
Brussels Mayor Philippe Close thanked emergency responders, saying they had carried out "an exceptional job" in particularly difficult conditions.
Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin said he was "shocked" by the incident and expressed sympathy for the victims and their families.
Prime Minister Bart De Wever and King Philippe visited the site later in the day as rescue and recovery efforts continued.
The Oxy building, located about 500 meters from Brussels' Grand Place, is being redeveloped into a multifunctional complex with apartments, a hotel, restaurants, bars and office space.
The structure, originally built in 1971, previously housed the headquarters of Belgian postal operator Bpost and administrative offices for the City of Brussels before being sold for redevelopment in 2022.
Authorities have not identified the cause of the fire and said the investigation remains ongoing.