As many as 20 people have been hurt after an explosion brought down a residential building in the Belgian city of Antwerp.

Pictures from the scene show a four-storey apartment block with its front entirely blown off, writes dailymail.co.uk.

A huge crane and dozens of firefighters are on the scene in the Paardenmarkt area of the city, with some survivors pictured being dramatically pulled from the debris. 

But police have stressed the incident is not related to terrorism. 

Antwerp police said in a statement 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. 

Police also said two adjacent buildings might have also been damaged in what state broadcaster RTBF said was a gas explosion.

Some people are still trapped under the rubble as firefighters struggle to free them, Belgian media are reporting. 

VTM Nieuws reported that people have been heard shouting for help from under the debris.

Brett Buelens said he believes the homes destroyed belonged to students.

Old photographs of the building that was destroyed show that a pizzeria was on the bottom floor. 

Video from the scene shows the desperate struggle ongoing to find any survivors.  

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