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Massive Explosion in Hague: Apartment Building Partially Collapses, Multiple Casualties Feared
Massive Explosion in Hague: Apartment Building Partially Collapses, Multiple Casualties Feared
An explosion in The Hague, Netherlands, on Saturday morning caused a partial collapse of an apartment building. Teams quickly arrived at the scene and are working hard to rescue those trapped under the rubble. Stay tuned for details and the latest on rescue operations!
Five duplex upper-storey flats damaged in explosion The fire brigade reported that five flats were badly damaged or destroyed in the explosion. In the early hours of the morning, the fire brigade thought that ten flats were affected. However, it turned out that it was two-storey flats rather than one-storey flats that were affected.
Updated: 09:56 local time
Emergency Services in The Hague Predict Twenty Casualties in Apartment Building
Emergency crews dispatched to the collapsed apartment in Tarwekamp in The Hague estimate that there may be twenty casualties.
According to a spokesman for the security zone, ambulances are either on the way or at the scene to handle the number of injured. Four people have been taken to hospital so far. It is not clear how many people are still trapped under the rubble following the explosion. 9 minutes ago
Eyewitness: ‘There was an explosion, I thought it was a bomb’
An eyewitness told De Telegraaf newspaper: “There was an explosion, I thought it was a bomb. I’ve never heard anything like it before. I’ve lived here for eight years. Now I can see up close how bad the damage is. I didn’t realise it was that bad.”
Hospitals are ready
Hospitals in The Hague and the surrounding area are ready, a spokesperson for the Haaglanden Medisch Centrum (HMC) said. This hospital has several locations in the city. According to the spokesperson, no additional measures are necessary at this time. “But we are on standby.”
Details of the news:
A massive explosion at an apartment in The Hague, Netherlands, on Saturday morning caused massive destruction. Part of the building collapsed and the facades of some apartments were completely destroyed. Emergency crews are working hard to reach and rescue anyone who may be trapped inside the building.
The Explosion and Aftermath
The explosion occurred at around 6.15am in Tarwekamp, a three-storey apartment building in the Mariahoeve district. The fire that broke out after the explosion is still not under control. Around 10 flats were reported to have been badly damaged by the fire and explosion. A spokesman for the fire department at the scene said there was extensive destruction.
“There is broken glass and debris everywhere. The windows of cars parked nearby have also been shattered by the force of the explosion,” one reporter said.
Rescue Efforts
It is not yet clear how many people are missing and how many have been rescued. However, authorities fear that around 20 people may have been injured in the incident. A special team called Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) has been dispatched to the scene to speed up rescue efforts. The team is made up of a group of rescue workers who specialise in rescuing people from debris. The team includes four dog handlers and a building expert.
Four Injured Taken to Hospital
Many people have been rescued from the rubble by firefighters so far. Security units said in a statement that four people had been taken to hospital as of 08:00.
The dense smoke caused by the fire prevents a clear view of the destruction caused by the explosion. “There is a huge hole where the apartment buildings were located,” eyewitnesses said.
Cause Still Unclear
The cause of the explosion is not yet known. People living in the area were advised to keep their doors and windows closed to avoid being affected by the dense smoke.
Evacuation and Shelter Status
The Hague Mayor Jan van Zanen arrived at the scene briefly to receive information from rescue teams. He then left the area so as not to hinder rescue efforts. Municipal authorities are continuing their work to understand the extent of the incident. There is currently no definitive information on where the victims will be housed. However, it was reported that 15 people were evacuated from the area on a bus.
Authorities said they would provide more information in the morning.
Call to the People
The people of The Hague are asked to be vigilant in order to help those around them and to provide the necessary space for rescue teams. As the fire and rescue efforts continue, precautions are being taken to keep everyone safe.
Nearly 20 people were trapped under the rubble of a fire and explosion in an apartment building in The Hague
Emergency services are responding to a devastating explosion that partially destroyed a three-storey apartment building in Tarwekamp, The Hague, early on Saturday morning. A special Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team, made up of four dog handlers and a structural engineer, has been deployed to the area. The unit is trained to find and rescue people trapped under collapsed buildings. According to a spokesperson for the regional security authority, up to 20 people may be trapped under the rubble.
The incident occurred at around 6:15 a.m. in the Mariahoeve district . Witnesses said a massive fire broke out after a powerful explosion, causing several apartments to collapse and creating a “big hole” in the structure. The fire spread quickly, covering parts of the building in thick black smoke that still engulfed the area hours after the explosion.
Emergency response teams, including two trauma helicopters, several fire brigades and at least 20 ambulances, were dispatched to the scene. The region declared a heightened emergency coordination level of Influenza 2.
At least four people were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals, according to the fire department. Search and rescue teams, backed by specialized equipment, are working tirelessly to find any survivors who may be trapped under the rubble. The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined.
The explosion also damaged nearby properties and many nearby streets have been cordoned off. Emergency services are urging people to avoid the area to ensure clear access for response teams and heavy equipment.
Photos taken at the scene show the extensive damage. Five to seven flats were completely destroyed and the remaining sections of the building were left unstable. “There’s nothing left of the ground floor. It’s unrecognisable,” one witness said.
A nearby witness reported hearing three separate explosions: one near a car parked outside the building and two closer to the structure itself. Shortly after the explosion, a vehicle in front of the apartment was completely destroyed by fire, adding to the intensity of the incident
One woman described how she fled her apartment building as the explosion shook her building. “I woke up and suddenly everything started shaking. When I looked out my window, I saw a car in flames outside,” she said.
Mayor Jan van Zanen arrived at the scene at approximately 7:30 a.m. to receive a briefing from emergency services personnel. After assessing the situation, the mayor left the scene to allow rescue teams to focus on their operations without interruption, his spokesman confirmed.
Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the explosion. Investigators are expected to begin their assessment once the area is declared safe. In the meantime, displaced residents have been moved to temporary shelters and local organisations have provided food, blankets and other necessities
Residents living near the affected building were advised to keep windows and doors closed due to the heavy smoke lingering in the air. Ventilation systems should also remain off to prevent exposure to potentially dangerous fumes, officials said.
Police: Suspicious vehicle sped away shortly after Hague apartment explosion
A car was seen fleeing at very high speed shortly after an explosion destroyed five flats in a residential complex in The Hague. The explosion occurred in an apartment building in Tarwekamp and at least four people were injured and up to 20 people were missing after the incident on Saturday morning.
“Shortly after the explosion, at around 6:15am, a car was seen driving away at a very high rate of speed,” police said in an update . Authorities are appealing for information from the public that could help identify the vehicle and its driver. “Police would like to contact anyone who saw this car driving or who may have surveillance footage.
The announcement was the first indication that investigators were not ruling out foul play. An investigation into the explosion is ongoing but police have stressed the importance of the vehicle fleeing the scene. Authorities have called on witnesses and those with footage to come forward.
“If you saw, heard or have surveillance footage in the area, please upload it using the online report form,” police added. Witnesses can also contact law enforcement on 0800-6070 or for anonymous reports, 0800-7000. “Police are particularly looking for witnesses who may have seen a car travelling at a very high rate of speed near the scene of the explosion at around 6:15am,” they added.
The explosion caused significant damage to the building. A large fire broke out and caused several flats to collapse. Emergency services including firefighters, police, paramedics and specialised search and rescue teams responded to the scene immediately.
An explosion in Tarwekamp in The Hague has destroyed at least five flats. Four people were rushed to hospital as rescuers search for missing people. December 7, 2024 – Credit: Anonymous / Provided to NL Times – License: All Rights Reserved
Three adults and a child were transported to local hospitals, while others may still be trapped under the rubble. Rescue teams were working to find survivors and extinguish the fire. A team from the technical response specialist team STH and Urban Search and Rescue Nederland arrived on the scene with plans to begin their operations when conditions are right.
While explosions are often staged as a form of revenge, they can also be used as part of a mugging scheme, in which the victim may be forced to vacate their home or close their business by order of a local mayor who is more concerned with public safety than with whether the victim has any connection to the crime.
By mid-October, police had recorded 768 explosions, likely as an attempt to intimidate or harass an individual or opponent. During the same period in 2023, police were aware of 497 explosions. A total of 1,017 explosions occurred in the Netherlands during 2023.
About three-quarters of them occur in the Randstad region, which includes the area surrounding Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. There were 212 such eruptions in the whole of the Netherlands in 2021.
One in four hospitalised in Hague apartment explosion was a child, mayor says
At least one child was among four people taken to hospital after an explosion and fire at an apartment complex in The Hague, the city’s mayor, Jan van Zanen, said, describing the situation as “a very big incident”. The fire, which broke out in the early hours of Saturday morning, destroyed five two-storey flats and damaged several others, including a tapas bar and a beauty salon on the ground floor. Police said a suspicious vehicle sped away from the scene.
Four hours after the incident occurred at 6:15 a.m. , it remains unclear how many people are missing or injured, and whether any victims were killed. Several elderly people and families with children are believed to be living in the complex.
“We are still searching for possible victims under the rubble,” Van Zanen told reporters at the scene. Emergency response was hampered by the ongoing fire and strong winds.
“Emergency services are working very hard to get people to safety. I was at the scene early this morning and saw with my own eyes that this was a very large incident.” The scale of the emergency alert meant that first responders coordinated with Mayor Van Zanen’s office at 6:45am, around half an hour after the incident was first reported.
“People who are affected but not injured are being cared for and are being offered overnight accommodation. Buses are available to transport them to the shelter.”
The cause of the explosion and fire remains under investigation. Initial statements from local police indicate that a vehicle sped away from the area a few minutes after the explosion.
Officers were trying to track down witnesses and surveillance footage that may have led to the vehicle. A preliminary description of the vehicle has not been released.
Van Zanen had the support of Prime Minister Dick Schoof, who offered national aid if needed. “I was horrified by the images of the collapsed building in The Hague. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and the responders at the scene,” Schoof said.
Party for Freedom (PVV) leader Geert Wilders echoed similar sentiments, writing on X: “Terrible news. My thoughts are with everyone affected and I would like to thank all emergency responders. #DenHaag.”
VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius also expressed her concern on X, formerly known as Twitter: “What terrible news from The Hague. My thoughts are with all the victims and those affected. Many thanks to the emergency services who are working so hard to get everyone to safety.”
Neighbors reported the incident, which included the smell of smoke, a burning car and a residential fire just after 6:15 a.m. A massive response was organized, including ambulances, firefighters, police officers, search and rescue teams and medical trauma teams traveling by land and helicopter. The emergency response was upgraded to Flu 1 alert at 6:30 a.m. and Flu 2 alert at 6:45 a.m.
“We are doing everything we can to help people and I will respond further as soon as we have more clarity on the extent of this incident. A press conference will be held around 3 p.m.,” Van Zanen said.
The Flu 1 emergency protocol is applied for larger incidents that require all responding personnel to be organized under a single incident commander. When the affected area is larger and more personnel are needed to handle the emergency, this is scaled up to Flu 2. A regional operations team is established with a team leader who coordinates efforts on the ground with the resources they need, including victim services, disaster control, and crisis management.
The regional operations team coordinates local services with the mayor and works with the mayor’s office to run them at the municipal level
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