That's what it's about

• On Wednesday evening, a fire broke out on the main Tomorrowland site.
• The main stage fell victim to the flames, and explosions were heard.
• Rescue crews are on site; the cause of the fire is still unclear.

Two days before the festival began, a fire broke out on Wednesday evening around 6 p.m. on the main grounds of the Tomorrowland music festival in the Belgian city of Boom. Footage posted on social media shows thick smoke and blazing flames on the left side of the stage. The main stage has now completely burned down. Eyewitnesses reported hearing loud explosions. The fire spread quickly, according to police. Emergency services are on scene. The cause of the fire is still unclear.

Damage will run into the millions

LED pioneer Frank Verstraeten, who has been supplying the spectacular screens on Tomorrowland's main stage for 20 years, reacted with shock to the news.

We're talking about a total loss here, Verstraeten told the newspaper DeMorgen. The damage will certainly run into the millions. Verstraeten continued: What went up in flames here wasn't just any stage. It was a technical and creative masterpiece that hundreds of people worked on for over a year.

The exact cause is not yet known

Authorities are asking people in the area to keep windows and doors closed. Those affected by smoke should stay indoors. Emergency responders are currently focusing on the safety of employees on site.

Festival spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told Flemish media:"The fire broke out near the main stage. The exact cause is not yet known. Our top priority now is to get everyone to safety."

Tomorrowland was supposed to start on Friday

Around 1,000 employees were deployed on site. According to initial information, something may have gone wrong with the pyrotechnics on the main stage, which allegedly caused a fire, according to Belgian media.

Tomorrowland was scheduled to start on Friday. Whether the fire will affect the festival program remains to be seen.

Festival has been taking place for 20 years

Tomorrowland is an annual open-air electronic dance music festival in the Belgian city of Boom since 2005. It is organized by the media company WeAreOne.world and takes place in the De Schorre recreational area. Last year, around 400,000 people attended the festival.

The festival is known for its elaborately designed stages in the style of a fairytale land. It was modeled on the Dutch festival Mysteryland. Previous spin-offs such as TomorrowWorld in the USA, Tomorrowland Brasil, and Tomorrowland Winter have also been held at times.

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