Share to ClassroomWorkers Find €9m Gold in Belgian Cellar
Workers were repairing an old brewery— a beer factory— in Belgium when they found gold worth about €9 million. The gold was hidden inside a cellar wall. It happened on Tuesday in a town near Brussels. The team was digging holes for new pipes. One worker, Kobe, is an 18-year-old student with a summer job. He thought the shiny discs were €1 coins, until he saw real gold. “ Our first reaction was actually disbelief, amazement, ” he told Belgian TV. The workers called the police, who took the gold to a safe place.
The building was made in the late 19th century for Theophilus Van Assche, a rich brewery owner. His family made beer there from 1899 to 1970. Today a charity owns the building and is changing it into offices and homes. A local historian said the family's money “ certainly stayed in the family ”, so hidden gold does not surprise him. Officials must first check that the gold was not stolen.
Under Belgian law, the real owner has five years to ask for the treasure. If nobody comes, the finder and the building's owner share it. The charity hopes the money can help people in need. Police asked treasure hunters to stay away. Kobe knows he can not keep the gold, but he hopes for a reward.
