Builders unearth €9m gold loot sealed in walls of Belgian property

Construction workers renovating a home in east Flanders, Belgium, stumbled upon a hidden trove of gold estimated to be worth €9 million (£7.6 million) while drilling for new sewage pipes in the cellar. The discovery has generated curiosity about who will receive the fortune, with both the builders and the local charity that owns the property potentially claiming it.

After an investigation, authorities cautioned against anyone attempting to search the site for more treasure, stating that the house had been dismantled and all the gold moved to a secure location. Kobe, an 18-year-old summer worker among the builders, expressed amazement at first believing the gold to be €1 coins, but ultimately identifying it as something significantly more valuable.

The property's current owner, CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, a welfare organization providing support in Dendermonde, a community of approximately 47,000 people, expressed surprise and hope that the treasure may eventually benefit their cause. Local police urged the public not to visit the ongoing construction site in search of any additional hidden wealth, emphasizing their hope that the discovery would ultimately go to the appropriate entity and positively impact people's lives.

The rightful owner has five years to claim the hoard under Belgian law, although the local prosecutor, conducting an investigation, remains uncertain about potential claimants. Should no one step forward, Belgian civil law dictates that the hidden treasure, provided it is not linked to criminal activity, would be divided between the finder and the property owner.

Both the builders and the charity now await up to 1,823 days for someone to come forward and successfully claim the treasure, with the final outcome remaining uncertain.