Tomorrowland fire: What caused the blaze at music festival's main stage in Belgium?
A fire broke out at Tomorrowland’s main stage in Boom, Belgium, causing major damage just two days before the festival’s July 18 opening.
A fire broke out at the main stage of the Tomorrowland electronic music festival in Boom, Belgium, on Wednesday, just two days ahead of its opening on July 18. As final preparations for the festival's opening were being made in the northern Belgian city, the main stage caught fire, resulting in significant damage.
As per Belgian news website VRT News, the fire started on the right side of the main stage and spread rapidly to engulf the entire stage. The main stage is the centerpiece of the festival and features a theme-based installation. As of now, the cause of the fire has not been determined. The US Sun reported that local residents reported hearing fireworks before the fire started, but a word from the authorities on the cause is still awaited.
At the time of the fire, there were no visitors at the venue as the festival was to start in two days' time. Around 1,000 workers were reportedly at the venue when the blaze erupted on Wednesday afternoon. As of now, it is unclear if anyone was injured.
The festival's organizers have not released an official statement on the fire, as of this writing. Debby Wilmsen, a spokesperson for Tomorrowland, told the local newspaper, Der Telegraaf, that they are prioritizing safety now. "Emergency services are on site. Our top priority now is safety," Wilmsen said.
Here's a video of the fire:
Also read: Will Tomorrowland Belgium be cancelled? What we know as fire damages main stage
This year, the theme of Tomorrowland music festival in Belgium is "The World of Orbyz," and the main stage featured an elaborate installation to reflect that theme. The festival typically draws around 400,000 attendees across its two summer weekends, with a capacity of roughly 200,000 per weekend.
Notably, this is not the first time a Tomorrowland event has been hit by fire. Back in 2017, the Barcelona Tomorrowland Unite festival had to evacuate 22,000 people after a fire emergency.
