One person died and four others were slightly stunned by the smoke and were taken to hospital, which they have already been able to leave, said Walter Derieuw, spokesman for the Brussels fire brigade.
Firefighters received a call shortly following 1 a.m. for a fire on the sixth floor of an eight-floor building. About forty residents were evacuated and taken to a nearby hotel on board a Stib bus. A total of four pumpers, two ladder trucks, two MUG teams and five ambulances were dispatched to the scene.
Eight people (from two families) were evacuated via self-ladder to safety. An apartment is completely damaged.
Since then, the fire has been extinguished. The cause of the fire is not yet known.