Firefighters continue to battle a blaze at a block of flats in The Hague following an explosion on Saturday morning.
A spokesperson has said it is “certainly possible that people are still trapped under the rubble”. A specialist team will only be able to search for potential victims once it is safe.
The fire is assumed to have been caused by the explosion but the exact cause of the detonation remains unknown. Police are seeking witnesses who saw a car driving quickly away from the Tarwekamp area shortly after the explosion.
Among the four injured people taken to hospital is a child, according to the mayor’s spokesperson. The victims were transported to various hospitals, and the search for more potential victims under the rubble continues.
Everything is being done to assist those affected by the explosion on Tarwekamp in The Hague, stated Mayor Jan van Zanen in an initial declaration. He noted that he has “seen with his own eyes that this is a very major incident”. There have been no definitive announcements regarding the exact number of casualties, although it is known that four people have been hospitalised.
Temporary shelter is being provided for residents in a city building, and a nearby community centre has also opened its doors to those affected.
The regional safety authority, which coordinates various emergency services, has reported that the explosion affected five apartments. These are duplexes with two floors. Earlier reports suggested that ten apartments were impacted.
A reporter has noted that the building consists of a ground level with shops, including a wedding store and a tapas bar. Above the retail spaces, there is a living area and, on the top floor, bedrooms.
The Dutch government has offered the mayor “all necessary assistance”, according to Prime Minister Dick Schoof in a post on X. He confirmed having communicated with the mayor on the matter.
Beelden uit Mariahoeve Den Haag: een buurtbewoner filmde de rampplek na de explosie. Die sloeg een enorme krater. pic.twitter.com/xiMJcCdjQj
— Den Haag FM (@DenHaagFM) December 7, 2024
