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A fire has ravaged the main stage at the Tomorrowland festival in Belgium, just two days before the highly anticipated event was scheduled to commence.
“Our beloved main stage has been severely damaged,” festival organizers stated in a release on Wednesday evening.
The statement confirmed that there were no injuries reported during the blaze, the cause of which is currently under investigation.
The globally recognized electronic dance music festival is slated to begin this Friday in the town of Boom, situated south of Antwerp, with an expected attendance of 400,000 people across two weekends.
A diverse roster of hundreds of artists is scheduled to perform, including prominent names such as David Guetta, Lost Frequencies, Swedish House Mafia, and Charlotte De Witte.
The fire reportedly ignited at approximately 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Social media platforms have been inundated with videos depicting thick plumes of grey smoke enveloping the stage area.
One employee present on the site described the scene as “an apocalyptic scene” as the fire erupted.
“We suddenly heard bangs and saw fire near the stage, a huge amount of fire,” the unnamed individual told Het Nieuwsblad newspaper.
“We were just putting the finishing touches on it. One more day and it would be finished. Four weeks of work… gone in half an hour.”
Firefighters are actively working to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby residences and wooded areas. Some local residents have been evacuated as a precautionary measure.
In an update posted on the festival’s official website, organizers have assured attendees that the campsite will still open on Thursday as originally planned, and that their immediate focus is “on finding solutions for the festival weekend”.
Organizers have confirmed that the event will proceed as scheduled, albeit without the use of the main stage.
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