Main Stage of Tomorrowland Festival Engulfed in Flames Days Before Kickoff

A devastating fire has destroyed the main stage of the internationally renowned Tomorrowland music festival in Belgium, mere days before the event was set to begin. Festival organizers confirmed the damage in a statement on Wednesday evening, describing the beloved stage as "severely damaged."

The blaze, which broke out around 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT), sent thick plumes of grey smoke into the air, as captured in videos shared on social media. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, though the cause of the fire remains unknown.

Tomorrowland, one of the world's largest electronic dance music festivals, is scheduled to open on Friday in the town of Boom, south of Antwerp. Over 400,000 attendees are expected across two weekends, with performances from top-tier artists such as David Guetta, Lost Frequencies, Swedish House Mafia, and Charlotte De Witte.

An employee on-site during the incident described the scene as "apocalyptic," telling local newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, "We suddenly heard bangs and saw fire near the stage, a huge amount of fire. We were just putting the finishing touches on it. One more day and it would be finished. Four weeks of work... gone in half an hour."

Firefighters are currently working to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby homes and wooded areas, with some residents being evacuated as a precaution. Despite the setback, organizers have assured attendees that the festival will proceed as planned, albeit without the main stage. The campsite is set to open on Thursday, and efforts are underway to find alternative solutions for the event.

Tomorrowland's organizers remain focused on ensuring a successful festival experience for all attendees, even in the face of this unexpected challenge.