6 killed in fire at Brussels construction site

Six people were killed in a fire at a construction site in central Brussels, while two others were hospitalized with severe burns, broadcaster RTBF reported Wednesday.

The fire broke out around 7:30 a.m. local time (0530 GMT) Tuesday in one of the elevator shafts of the Oxy Tower project on Place De Brouckere, where the former administrative headquarters of the City of Brussels is being converted into a mixed-use complex.

About 250 workers were at the site when the fire started, according to the labor inspectorate.

After the site was evacuated, six workers of Belgian and Romanian nationality were reported missing.

Emergency responders later recovered six bodies from the elevator shaft.

Authorities said the victims' identities have not yet been formally confirmed and that they cannot verify whether the recovered bodies are those of the missing workers until the identification process is completed.