Construction Workers Discover $10.4 Million in Gold in Belgium
In a surprising turn of events this week, construction workers in Belgium stumbled upon a treasure worth $10.4 million while working on a sewer project beneath a former brewery. Local authorities from Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde, a town located near Brussels, confirmed the incident.
Upon making the discovery, the workers swiftly reported it to the police. Officers arrived at the scene to document the find and subsequently secured the gold in a high-security vault managed by the federal government.
One of the workers, an 18-year-old named Kobe, initially mistook the gold pieces for 1 Euro coins. “We couldn’t believe it at first. We were shocked! We never expected to find gold,” Kobe shared. The workers had been removing part of the foundation to install sewer pipes when they uncovered the valuable items.
Project leader Mario described the moment as surreal. “They yelled, ‘We found gold!’ and when I went to check, I held it in my hands. We kept digging and found even more coins and bars. That’s when it really hit us what we had found,” he recounted.
Although the discovery is remarkable, the construction workers are not able to keep the gold. According to Belgian law, the true owner has the right to claim the gold within a five-year period. When asked if he considered keeping some for himself, Mario quickly dismissed the idea, saying, “With so many coins and bars, that wouldn’t be possible. Plus, that would be stealing.”
Kobe, however, expressed hopes for a possible finder’s fee, stating, “That would be nice.”
This building, where the gold was found, is owned by an organization that supports the welfare of the Flemish community. The organization’s director mentioned that they hope the gold can be used to address the significant needs faced by the community.
Local police also had a message for potential treasure hunters: the construction site is fenced off and contains many hazards, as the gold has already been removed. Authorities added, “We hope this treasure ends up in the right hands and that this unexpected discovery brings positive change to many lives.”
