Firefighters battled the blaze for hours Josh Walet PHOTO: Josh WaletANPAFP
At least four people have died and three others are injured after explosions rocked a block of flats in The Hague in the Netherlands, authorities have said.
Firefighters rushed to the three-storey building following the blasts that caused the collapse of several homes in the Tarwekamp area at around 06:15 (05:15 GMT) on Saturday.
The city's mayor, Jan van Zanen, said it was unknown how many people were still missing.
The cause of the explosions is not yet clear, but Dutch police said a car drove away “at very high speed” shortly after, and have appealed for witnesses.
Van Zanen said the chance of survivors being pulled from the rubble was slim, and urged the community to prepare for a “worst case scenario”.
It was earlier thought up to 20 people may have been in the flats at the time of the blast, but the mayor refused to speculate on this.
Dutch police said a fourth body had been recovered, with a fifth person hospitalised. The fire service said a fifth person had been pulled from the rubble but had since died – though it is unclear if this is the same person who was taken to hospital.
While authorities said earlier that four people were injured, the mayor revised that number down to three.
Dutch media reported five flats were destroyed in the explosion.
Rescue teams with sniffer dogs have been deployed to sift through the debris, but parts of the site remain too dangerous to access.
A large excavator has been brought in to remove debris and lighting erected at the site.
Fourteen-year-old Adam Muller told the AFP news agency the explosion “felt like an earthquake”.
“I was asleep and suddenly there was this huge bang,” he said.
“I looked out of the window and just saw flames. It’s a massive shock,” he added.
National police commissioner in the Netherlands Janny Knol said there was “disbelief and uncertainty” in the community.
Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima said in a statement: “We sympathise with all those who have been personally affected or who fear for the fate of their loved ones.” (BBC)
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