Blast rocks sports center in Belgium’s Chimay, casualties reported

A powerful explosion went off at a sports facility in the Belgian city of Chimay, partially destroying the building and burying at least five people under the rubble. One person has reportedly been killed and four more treated for injuries.

At least one person was killed after the building collapsed, Belga News Agency reported citing emergency services spokesperson.

The blast reportedly struck the sports center and a pool located on the Rue de Chalon just after midnight.

The explosion took place in a storage room of the center, RTL reported, citing a rescue worker.

Five people were inside the building at the time of the blast, RTL reported. Two of them were seriously injured and taken to hospitals for treatment. The other two received minor injuries and were taken to the local health center.

The cause of the blast was not immediately clear, but authorities do not believe the incident to be terror-related.

“We are not 100% sure, but, most likely, we are dealing with a gas explosion due to a suicide. There are no other explanations,” a crisis center spokesperson told RIA Novosti.

Photos appearing to show the aftermath of the explosion have surfaced on the social media. Half of the building has crumbled as seen on the photo posted by Vince Crate, a local resident.

Footage from the scene shows a heavy police presence. A municipal emergency has been declared, HNL reported.

The police have sealed off the scene. The mayor of the town, Francoise Fassiaux-Looten, has been overseeing the operation.

Chimay is a small city with a population of some 10,000 people located close to the French border, 89 kilometers south of the Belgium’s capital, Brussels.