A person has been found dead by the emergency services in the s0-called Schaerbeek squat in Rue des Palais, the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed. A coroner removed the body from the residence at around 08:45 on Wednesday morning.
The Brussels Prosecutor's Office cannot yet give any information on the exact circumstances of the death as the body has only just been discovered, Belga News Agency reports.
This morning, the fire services were also called to the building, as one or more blankets were reportedly set on fire. However, the death is unrelated to this incident.
Today, the final evacuation of the building on Rue de Palais is scheduled.
Further evacuation today
Due to the fire and the intervention of the Public Prosecutor in connection with the death, all asylum seekers are on the streets early, but many still left their belongings inside. Some 80 people would still be picked up by bus today, but it remains to be seen whether there will be enough space, De Standaard reports.
In recent days and weeks, government reception agency Fedasil ensured that 750 asylum seekers – who were all registered during a screening in the squat several weeks ago – received an invitation to shelter. They were all given a blue armband. The remaining residents were asked to leave voluntarily yesterday.
Volunteers and social workers who were present, however, stated that the evacuation was extremely chaotic. On Tuesday, asylum seekers from all corners of Brussels showed up for the evacuation. As a result, fewer residents (the people with the blue bands) got on the three buses provided.
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At the end of Tuesday afternoon, aid and civic organisations present still counted some 250 to 300 people with armbands in front of the building. They remained there until the evening, hoping to be picked up by buses.
"By evening, the realisation dawned that the buses would no longer come and residents were forced to take refuge in the building again without any information from the authorities," Sasha, one of the volunteers present, told De Morgen.
