Blasts in Brussels suburb not terrorism

A fire that damaged a number of cars and caused two explosions in a Brussels suburb was deliberately lit but not a terrorist act, authorities say.

Seven to nine cars were damaged in the fire in the suburb of Saint Gilles, in the south of Brussels.

Firemen had put out the blaze by 1.30am local time on Wednesday and there were no casualties.

Dramatic pictures were seen online but police excluded terrorism as a cause although the fire was deliberately lit, Belga news agency reports.