Several dead after lift shaft fire at Brussels Oxy site
A major fire at the site of Brussels' former Bpost headquarters has killed several workers and left six missing, raising urgent questions about safety at one of the Belgian capital's largest urban redevelopment projects.
A fire at a central Brussels construction site has killed several people and left at least six workers missing. The blaze broke out in the morning at the Oxy building on Place de Brouckère, where roughly 250 workers were on site.
Firefighters initially brought the fire under control, but flames spread into two elevator shafts. The damage caused two lifts to plummet to an underground section of the complex. The impact ignited a second fire, severely complicating rescue efforts and trapping victims inside the elevator cars.
Emergency crews managed to cut a small opening into one of the lifts, where they discovered multiple bodies. Recovery operations are continuing to open the second lift car to determine if the remaining missing workers are trapped inside. Authorities have not yet confirmed an exact death toll.
For Brussels’ commercial real estate market, the blaze disrupts a flagship urban regeneration project. The 1971 building formerly served as the corporate headquarters of Belgian postal operator Bpost and housed administrative offices for the City of Brussels. The municipality sold the property in 2022 to make way for a modern mixed-use development.
The Oxy project is a prime example of the adaptive reuse strategy driving much of Europe's urban commercial real estate. Developers are transforming the former administrative monolith into a dynamic complex set to include a four-star hotel, apartments, modern office space, a rooftop bar, and several restaurants. Such projects are critical for revitalising European city centres and attracting corporate tenants.
However, the fatal incident introduces significant uncertainty for the project's investors and contractors. Beyond the immediate human tragedy, a prolonged investigation will likely halt construction, delaying the delivery of new hotel and office inventory to the Brussels market. It also raises broader questions about construction safety protocols on large-scale European redevelopment sites.
Those questions are compounded by the site's recent history. In April 2024, a separate fire broke out on the roof of the building under construction. While that incident resulted in no injuries, the recurrence of fires will likely draw intense regulatory scrutiny. Authorities are now investigating the cause of the latest blaze.
