An explosion has hit a three-storey block of flats in The Hague, causing significant damage and leading to a fire that has collapsed several homes. The incident occurred around 06:15 (05:15 GMT) in the Tarwekamp area. Emergency services are on the scene, with firefighters working to extinguish the blaze and rescue teams searching for up to 20 people who may have been in the building at the time of the explosion. So far, four people have been pulled from the rubble and taken to the hospita.
The cause of the explosion is not yet clear, but Dutch media report that police are looking for a car that was seen speeding away moments after the incident. The explosion has caused widespread damage, with debris strewn across the street and several windows blown out. Authorities have warned locals to keep their windows shut and turn off ventilation systems due to the smoke.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clykk717n1ko
https://www.yahoo.com/news/apartment-block-hague-partially-collapsed-082223903.html
The Hague explosion destroyed 5 flats, 4 hospitalised so far https://t.co/9b1OAp7Z8r pic.twitter.com/xo2OCRKIxQ
— DutchNews.NL (@DutchNewsNL) December 7, 2024