Two Romanians among victims of Brussels building fire; one dead, one severely injured

A devastating fire in a building undergoing renovation in central Brussels has claimed the life of one Romanian citizen and left another with severe burns.

Official sources from the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that two Romanian nationals were victims of the blaze that erupted Tuesday morning in the OXY building, located in De Brouckère Square. The injured individual, a 20-year-old from the Bacău region, sustained burns covering about half of his body and is receiving medical care at a specialized burn hospital in Brussels.

The deceased is reportedly a man around 40 years old, originally from the Chernivtsi region, who held dual Romanian and Ukrainian citizenship. The fire started around 7:30 AM in the elevator shafts of the OXY building, which was actively being renovated.

At the time of the incident, approximately 200 workers were inside the building. While most managed to escape, two individuals suffered serious injuries and were transported to the hospital. A firefighter also required medical attention, and initially, six workers were reported missing in the hours following the fire's outbreak.