Geert Dewulf, who lives on the tenth floor, told Belgian broadcaster VRTNWS: “First the electricity went out, three minutes later we got a fire alarm.

“By then, there was already smoke in the hallways.

“We tried to get down on our own, but we couldn’t manage it anymore.

“We barricaded ourselves in our apartment and waited on the terrace.

“About 10 minutes later, the fire department came to rescue us from the terrace with their fire ladder.”