A fire has engulfed the main stage of the Tomorrowland festival in Boom, Belgium, rendering it unusable just two days before the electronic dance music event is scheduled to begin. Festival organizers acknowledged the devastation on Wednesday evening, stating, "Our beloved main stage has been severely damaged." Fortunately, there are no reported injuries from the blaze, although the reason behind it is currently unknown.
Tomorrowland is expected to attract around 400,000 attendees over its two weekends, with notable performances lined up from artists including David Guetta, Lost Frequencies, Swedish House Mafia, and Charlotte De Witte. The fire erupted at approximately 18:00 local time on Wednesday, producing thick plumes of grey smoke visible from afar. Social media videos captured the dramatic scene of flames consuming the stage, leading one employee to describe it as "an apocalyptic scene."
Witnesses recounted hearing explosions as the fire rapidly spread, transforming weeks of preparation into ash in mere minutes. A worker on-site lamented, "We suddenly heard bangs and saw fire near the stage, a huge amount of fire. We were just putting the finishing touches on it. Four weeks of work... gone in half an hour." Firefighters were deployed to contain the blaze and protect neighboring homes and wooded areas, leading to some residents being evacuated as a precaution.
Despite the catastrophic damage, festival organizers have announced that the camping site will still open as scheduled on Thursday, urging fans to remain optimistic. They are actively working on solutions to salvage the festival experience, confirming that while the main stage will not be available, the event will still proceed as planned.
