Bomber shot dead in Brussels attack

AN explosion has rocked Brussels Central Station after a suspected suicide bomber detonated a bomb belt, sending terrified passengers fleeing.

Belgian troops patrolling the station swooped in to “neutralise” the man, who was threatening civilians and wearing an “explosive belt”.

Het Laatste Nieuws, a local tabloid, reported witnesses saying a man shouted “Allahu

Akbar” before the small blast after 9pm on Tuesday (5am Wednesday AEST).

Soldiers ran toward the spot, saw wires protruding from the man’s clothes, and shot him “several times” after he appeared to “trigger a device”, according to the report.

The suspect was said to be wearing a rucksack packed with explosives at Belgium’s busiest railway station.

Police sources said the attacker was seriously injured in the blast and subsequently died from his wounds.

Police tweeted to say the “incident involving an individual” was under control and there were no other casualties.

Belgian prosecutors are treating it as a terror incident.

“This is considered as a terrorist attack,” federal prosecutor’s office spokesman Eric Van Der Sypt told a news conference outside Brussels Gare Centrale station.

“The suspect has been neutralised by the military that were present at the scene immediately after the explosion.”

Mr Van Der Sypt said there were “no other victims”.

“We have no idea of his identity for the time being,” he added.

A bomb squad performed a controlled explosion of a bomb belt the suspect had at the Central Station, Belgian broadcaster VTM television reported.

Authorities set up a wide perimeter around the station, located near the city’s famed Grand Place square.

Witness Ludoivic Hampton said something that sounded like a “bomb” went off just 30 metres from him.

The Belgian capital’s Grand Place, a major tourist site filled with restaurants and shops, was evacuated along with the station about 200m away.

THE SUSPECT HAS BEEN NEUTRALISED BY THE MILITARY THAT WERE PRESENT AT THE SCENE ERIC VAN DER SYPT