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A massive blaze has caused “severe damage” to the main stage of Belgium’s Tomorrowland music festival, just two days before its commencement, according to festival organizers.
No one was injured in the incident.
Images shared on local news sites and social media showed flames and plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland.
The yearly event, set in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is slated to kick off on Friday (Saturday in AEST) and attracts thousands of attendees from across Europe.
Reports from Belgium’s public broadcaster, VRT, indicate that the main stage is almost entirely destroyed by the fire. Emergency services are at the site, but the fire has not yet been contained.
No festival-goers were on site at the time of the fire, but about 1000 staff members were present, who have now been evacuated, VRT reported.
Organisers said in their statement that the site’s “DreamVille” campsite would open on Thursday as planned and they were “focused on finding solutions for the festival weekend”.
ââDue to a serious incident and fire on the Tomorrowland Mainstage, our beloved Mainstage has been severely damaged,” the organisers posted on the event’s website.
ââWe can confirm that no one was injured during the incident.”
Morgan Hermans, who lives nearby to the festival site, told CNN that she initially heard fireworks going off, which prompted her to look outside.
“There was just a big cloud of fireworks and smoke very near us, so that was a bit scary,” she said.
“It’s one of the biggest events in the entire year. Our town is very small so to welcome people (from) around the entire world, it’s crazy and it’s so much fun.”
“It’s a big deal so everyone in Boom was a bit terrified for a few seconds,” Hermans added.
Local police confirmed the fire in a post on X and encouraged people to stay away from the smoke and give way to emergency services.
