Construction workers in Belgium uncovered a buried stash of gold estimated to be worth more than $10 million while digging a new sewer system beneath a former brewery in Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde. Police secured the 49 gold bars and bucket of coins in a high-security vault, launching an ownership investigation.
Workers breaking ground for infrastructure improvements outside Brussels unexpectedly struck a multi-million-dollar fortune underground. The discovery occurred while contractors were laying pipe and removing a foundation beneath a former brewery building while building a new sewer.
Discovering a Multi-Million-Dollar Stash Beneath a Former Brewery
The total value of the hidden hoard is estimated to be approximately 9 million euros, or more than $10 million, WKRC. Law enforcement officials released documentation detailing the recovered items, which included 49 gold bars alongside a bucket filled with gold coins.
For the crew on site, the initial moments of the find brought sheer bewilderment. An 18-year-old worker named Kobe recounted that the team did not immediately realize they were unearthing precious bullion.
“Our first reaction was actually disbelief, surprise. Of course, we didn’t expect to find gold.”
Kobe, 18-year-old construction worker, via Fox News
Project leader Mario described the chaotic scene as the excavation progressed. After noticing objects scattered in the trench, the workers realized the scale of what they had hit and alerted supervisors and authorities.
“They shouted, ‘We found gold,’ I went to look and took the gold in my hands. We also continued to dig up new coins and bars. Only then did what we had found really dawn.”
Mario, project leader, via Fox News
Police Impound the Treasure and Launch an Investigation
Local law enforcement in Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde, located about 18 miles north of Brussels, responded quickly to the scene. Officers cataloged the entire discovery and transferred the precious metals to a high-security federal government vault.
Because the property where the gold was found is owned by CAW Oost-Vlaanderen—a Belgian organization that provides assistance to people in need—questions immediately turned to legal ownership. The East Flanders Public Prosecutor’s Office opened an inquiry to determine the origin of the bars and coins.
“At this moment, it is not known where that gold comes from, nor to whom it legally belongs.”
Hanne Ollevier, prosecutor, via WKRC
Under Belgian law, the construction workers do not get to keep the unexpected windfall. Legal guidelines dictate that a rightful owner has up to five years to claim discovered property. While the young worker Kobe admitted that a finder’s fee would be nice, project leader Mario noted that taking the precious metals was never a realistic option, pointing out both the sheer impossibility of concealing such a quantity and the legal reality that besides, it would also be theft.
Site Safety Warnings and Potential Community Impact
Following news of the multimillion-dollar unearthing, police issued strict warnings to amateur treasure hunters attempting to visit the location. Officials stressed that the property remains an active, fenced-off construction zone containing several dangerous pits,
adding that all discovered bullion has already been transported off-site.
The director of the organization that owns the building expressed hope that the gold could be used to help with the Foxnews within the Flemish community they serve.