Hague [Netherlands], December 8: Four bodies have been recovered from the rubble of an apartment building in The Hague, the Netherlands, which partially collapsed following a major explosion on Saturday morning, Dutch police confirmed.
The identities of the victims have not yet been determined. Earlier in the evening, one survivor was rescued from the debris and transported to the hospital by ambulance. Efforts to locate additional victims are ongoing.
During a press conference on Saturday afternoon, The Hague's Mayor Jan van Zanen said that three injured individuals had already been hospitalized earlier in the day. "The reality is that their chances of survival are very slim. We are preparing for the worst-case scenario," the mayor said.
He also confirmed that there are currently no indications of suspicious activity in the area, although this remains a focus of the ongoing investigation.
Emergency services said they were uncertain how many people remain buried under the debris, but the number of victims could rise to around 20.
"Shocked by the terrible images of a collapsed apartment building in The Hague," Prime Minister Dick Schoof wrote on the social platform X.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima also expressed their sympathy on X, saying, "We sympathize with all those who have been personally affected or who fear for the fate of their loved ones."
The incident occurred on Tarwekamp Street in the northeastern Mariahoeve district of The Hague. Images from the scene show that the facades of several apartments have been swept away. The building houses shops on the ground floor and two residential floors above. The cause of the explosion remains unclear.
Police reported that a car was seen speeding away from the scene shortly after the explosion. Authorities are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the vehicle to come forward.
Source: Xinhua News Agency