• Source:JND
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A huge blaze engulfed the iconic Tomorrowland main stage in Boom, Belgium, on Wednesday, only a few days before the world-renowned electronic dance music festival was scheduled to begin. Organisers have assured that despite the blaze, the festival will proceed as scheduled, and DreamVille, the main campsite of the festival, will open on Thursday. According to festival organisers, the fire severely damaged the main stage, which has been almost completely destroyed. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the nearly 1,000 staff members present at the site when the fire erupted on Wednesday afternoon.

Thick plumes of black smoke and fireworks could be seen as flames engulfed the massive stage structure. Videos and visuals circulating on social media show the dramatic moment the stage collapsed amid the blaze.

Emergency Crews Fought Flames for Hours

Emergency responders were quick to respond to the accident, with hundreds of firefighters dispatched to extinguish the fire and avoid its spread to the adjacent forest belt. Local government officials have warned the public and residents to keep their distance from the site of the festival so rescue and recovery activities can proceed unhampered. An investigation into the cause of the blaze has also been initiated by Antwerp prosecutors, who stated that preliminary indications suggest an accidental fire.

Despite the setback, Tomorrowland spokesperson Debby Wilmsen confirmed that the festival will not be cancelled. “DreamVille will open as planned on Thursday, and we’re expecting around 38,000 festival-goers,” Wilmsen said, adding that organisers are working on alternative arrangements to ensure the festival experience remains memorable, even without the main stage. "Everyone has worked tirelessly on the stage for years, so this is tragic for us. But we are determined to make it a wonderful festival," Wilmsen said.

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Security Strengthened, Crowd Control In Jeopardy

Local residents in Boom explained the moment the fire occurred. "I heard fireworks and saw a large cloud of smoke close to our house. It was frightening for a moment," said Morgan Hermans, a resident near the festival grounds. Tomorrowland, which was created 20 years ago by Belgian brothers Manu and Michiel Beers, is one of the world's largest and most well-known electronic dance music festivals. More than 100,000 are expected to go this year across two weekends, with acts from global superstars such as David Guetta, Armin Van Buuren, Lost Frequencies, and Charlotte de Witte.

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With the main stage currently offline, organisers are likely to redistribute acts across alternative stages like the Freedom Stage. Safety arrangements and crowd control are being reassessed to cope with the huge turnout of music fans. The police have requested festival-goers to adhere to official information and observe safety alerts. Additional information regarding altered stage layouts is to be announced shortly.