Fire that destroyed Tomorrowland main stage linked to test of highly flammable fire bowls
A blaze that wiped out the Tomorrowland main stage in Boom is believed to have started during a test involving large fire bowls filled with highly flammable substances, according to well-placed sources speaking to VRT NWS. Whether one of those bowls directly caused the inferno is still under investigation. Authorities are also examining liability for an estimated €60 million in damages.
The fire broke out on Wednesday 16 July, during tests on at least four fire bowls used to create dramatic flame effects. A first, smaller fire reportedly ignited at one of the bowls before spreading to the stage structure, which was built largely from polystyrene and wood. Fireworks stored near the podium also caught alight, accelerating the blaze.
Despite a rapid response from firefighters, the main stage was completely destroyed. A replacement was erected on the same spot within 48 hours.
Sources say the pyrotechnic bowls contained not only fuel but also strontium compounds, which can act as accelerants because they release oxygen when heated. Security cameras are said to have captured the moment the initial fire started. Investigators are now determining whether flames from the bowl definitively spread to the decor, and why the fire escalated so quickly.
The investigation is also scrutinising how fireworks were stored on site. Municipal approval granted in May explicitly stated that fireworks were not to be kept on the festival grounds, yet an inspection found shortcomings in storage practices.
More than 30 parties are now involved in the case, ranging from companies that suffered commercial losses to those responsible for construction or handling hazardous materials. Both a criminal inquiry into possible unintentional arson and a civil investigation into technical liability are under way. Officials say that determining responsibility could take years.
Festival organisers have declined to comment, referring all questions to the judiciary.
#FlandersNewsService | A fire at the festival site of the Tomorrowland electronic music festival ©BELGA PHOTO TOM GOYVAERTS