"The explosion in Wilrijk destroyed three buildings. Emergency services are working at the scene. There are several injured, and people still remain under the rubble. One has already been recovered," the police said in a statement.
According to local police, one person has been rescued from the rubble, while others still remain trapped.
The explosion occurred around 12.20 local time (10.20 GMT). It might have been caused by a gas leak during construction work in one of the buildings, the police added.