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A massive fire has engulfed the main stage of Tomorrowland in Boom, Belgium, just two days before the festival is scheduled to open its gates to around 400,000 fans from around the globe. The elaborate stage, a centerpiece of one of the world’s most celebrated electronic music events, was seen consumed by flames on July 16, with smoke high above the site.
Emergency services responded in large numbers, as confirmed by local outlets, with warnings issued to residents nearby to keep their windows and doors shut. Tomorrowland spokeswoman Debby Wilmsen told Der Telegraaf, “Emergency services are on site. Our top priority now is safety.”
The fire erupted while around 1,000 staff were working on final preparations for the festival’s first weekend, set to begin on Friday, July 18. Fortunately, no festival-goers were present during the blaze, and no injuries have been reported at this time.
Footage from the scene quickly flooded social media, showing the iconic main stage on fire. A large operation has been launched to bring the flames under control, and officials remain uncertain whether repairs can be made in time for the opening day.
The stage design, which reportedly took a year to complete, appears to have been heavily damaged. Eyewitnesses claim to have heard fireworks prior to the flames, suggesting a possible link to firework cannon testing. However, the exact cause of the blaze has not yet been determined.
Videos posted to X (formerly Twitter) captured the extent of the destruction. The incident has thrown the festival’s timeline into question. Artists like David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Swedish House Mafia, Steve Aoki, and Fisher were all expected to headline at the main stage across the two-weekend event.
Despite the fire, tens of thousands of campers are still expected to arrive Thursday, a day before performances were set to begin. This isn't the first time Tomorrowland has faced such an emergency. In 2017, a fire broke out at a Barcelona edition of Tomorrowland Unite, prompting the evacuation of more than 22,000 people just before a planned set by Steve Aoki.