Up to 20 injured in Belgium blast; terrorism ruled out

An explosion tore through three adjacent homes in Belgium's northern port town of Antwerp and injured up to 20 people late Monday, police said, stressing the incident was not related to terrorism.

Antwerp police said in a statement late Monday that most of the injuries were slight. Authorities rescued seven people from under the rubble.

Antwerp police spokesman Wouter Bruyns told VRT network: "There are about 10, a maximum 20 casualties, fortunately including many slightly injured."

The explosion ripped through the homes late in the evening. Antwerp police quickly announced that the blast was not part of a terror attack.

At least one building totally collapsed. Rescue workers were still going through the debris around midnight.

Belgium has been on high alert since deadly suicide bombings in 2016 and a wave of terror attacks across Europe.