LThe public prosecutor’s office, the Explosive Devices Removal and Destruction Service (Sedee), the technical and scientific police laboratory as well as an investigating judge, a forensic doctor and a fire expert visited on Thursday afternoon at the scene of the explosion which destroyed the upper part of a building, in the Antwerp district of Hoboken. Police said the aim was to ensure the safety of emergency services during upcoming rescue operations.
The investigation into the causes of the explosion is still ongoing and the police are currently refusing to comment on the subject.
Four residents of the building concerned are still missing. Search operations aimed at locating them, in the event that they are found under the rubble, are currently at a standstill, as the building has not yet been stabilized. A crane is currently working to remove the roof, to allow firefighters to enter the rubble safely. The security perimeter was widened for the occasion.
Another nearby apartment complex was evacuated as a safety precaution. Residents will be accommodated in a district room if necessary.
One person lost his life in this explosion which occurred on Thursday morning. Five other residents were injured, three of them seriously.
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