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Four injured after explosion in Dutch home
At least four people have been hospitalized after an explosion in a residential building in The Hague. Parts of the house collapsed and the fire department is on duty. Horror in the community.
Four injured after explosion in Dutch home
Details about the explosion
The explosion occurred around 6:15 a.m. local time, firefighters reported, and led to a partial collapse of the three-story apartment building, which also caught fire. Five different apartments were affected by the explosion, they said.
Looking for witnesses
Police have appealed for witnesses who may have seen a vehicle leaving the scene at a very high speed shortly after the incident.
Rescue workers on site
The Dutch Urban Search and Rescue service said in a post on X that a rescue group was dispatched to the scene, including four dog handlers and a structural engineer.
Search operation and security concerns
By 11:30 a.m., the fire was nearly extinguished and rescue dogs were searching for possible victims, firefighters reported. However, the dogs could not search the building for long because of the risk of a complete collapse, according to the Dutch Public Broadcasting NOS.
Evacuations and statements from witnesses
The fire department told NOS that there is currently no clear picture of the total number of victims. Around 40 households had to be evacuated. One man told the station that he first thought of a rocket attack when he saw the aftermath of the explosion. He heard a child calling for help from the rubble, but could not get to him as people retreated from the fire.
Confusion about the injured
The municipality of The Hague announced on Saturday morning that one of the four injured people was a child. However, a spokesperson for the regional security agency later clarified that this was not true, NOS reported.
Investigations and reactions from authorities
Forensic officers are also on site to preserve evidence, the broadcaster said. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said in a statement Post on X, that he was “shocked” by the images of the damaged residential building and had spoken to the mayor of The Hague to offer support. The Dutch king and queen declared in a opinion that their thoughts were with those affected by the incident.